Odyssey
by Seraph of Enigma
Summary: No one ever said being a Skylander would be easy. But it certainly wasn't pitched quite like this; multiple people all wearing the same face and causing grief when it comes to looking for the true owner of any given form. Stripped of individuality and uniqueness it is commonplace to be mistaken for someone else. But life must go on, there is work to do. What's a Skylander to do?
1. The Bitterness of Freedom

**The Bitterness of Freedom**

_ Skylands, an endless archipelago of floating islands. Some so small the average person can lie in the middle and nearly reach over the edges. Other floating landmasses are so large they take days to travel end to end. Magic is the life blood of the Skylands; it has permeated every living creature and inanimate object alike. This is my home, or rather _was_ my home. I am a Skylander, one of the protectors and heroes of all Skylands. We are vastly different and varied from one another but bound together to keep our world and those beyond it safe._

_ We were banished to Earth and frozen in plastic by Kaos, the would-be Emperor of Skylands. We did not stay banished, not wholly at least. It is due to the Portal Masters that we can return to Skylands, however briefly, and fight back the deluge of Kaos's forces. Who am I? I am a Hex. Yes, _a_ Hex. Not _the _Hex. __There are many, many more like me out there. _We are more commonly known as Hex-types or Hexlings, the same name classification works for everyone else now wearing the face of a Core Skylander. Most know the story of our banishment but it focuses only on the most renowned of Grandmaster Eon's forces. Portal Masters can tell you, there is not simply one little figure for each Skylander but a multitude of us. With our consciousness bound to these items we sometimes find ourselves looking at another frozen as we are in the banishment and the curse that came with it. Why did this happen, why were we stripped of our identity and turned into clones of famous Skylanders? No one knows yet but the originals themselves are not sure how to react to finding so many others wearing their face. I do not think even Kaos intended it; it is obvious he feels hunted when all he sees is many faces of those he so despises. Somewhere out there lays the answer to our banishment.

_ The resulting series of events following banishment was peculiar, we were sold as toys to children and some adults with possibly a sense of understanding we were something more. Some Portal Masters are better than others at bonding with us and allowing us freedom of range when we are summoned. Others see us as toys, plain and simple. Lifeless, emotionless and unaware lumps of plastic. We can travel with our Portal Masters or go on our own if they are willing. Sometimes the Portal Masters themselves communicate with one another and aid us in our quests._

_ Forgive me, I became distracted. As I was saying, my name is Seraphina Reve and I am a Hexling. What does this mean? My banishment changed everything about me, it stripped me of my identity and uniqueness and I, like other Hex-types, found myself patterned after the Skylander whose name we now bare as a title – Hex. __I am an undead sorceress now and like everyone else in my class I wear the black winged cowl and black as night gown that Hex wears. I look like her in every physical way; I look like every other Hexling out there._ I am aligned with the undead element, a far cry from who I was originally. Perhaps it is just as tragic for all Hex-types as it was for the true Hex. Perhaps the bitterest element of this whole limited freedom in Skylands comes from the fact many of us lost families. I have seen Skylanders separated from loved ones that were not banished and there are those like me; we and our loved ones were banished. This makes it harder to find them again and I cannot tell you how many times I have run into other Hexes like myself searching for their family with nothing more than a description of what type of Skylander their person of interest had become. I have run into many Skylanders that now wear the face of the most famous of our ranks that search endlessly for friends and family.

_I am searching for my family as well. I have found my cousin, Teranika, now known as a Stealth Elf and her new husband, my oldest childhood friend, Rafer who has become a Flameslinger. My brother and sister are still missing; I do not even know who they have become. Then there is my would be husband… Kaelin Alistair, now known as a Fright Rider. We were banished on the eve of our wedding, an act to bond our two allied kingdoms together by blood. I have not stopped searching for him this past year. I found him once, a quick word in passing before the portal connection closed and I found myself frozen again in plastic. It hurts terribly to search, lose then search again for loved ones. But we cannot blame our Portal Masters for they have their own lives to live._

_ This is the sad existence of Skylanders. Thankful for our Portal Masters and the opportunity to once again see familiar sights but doomed to be taken from it time and time again. We are immortal and timeless now as the world seems to pass us by while we stand motionless on a shelf with a silent portal beckoning our return._

The rush of travel never seemed to make her feel less dizzy no matter how many times she did it. A strike like lightening deposited the Skylander on a grassy knoll in the middle of an open field. Seraphina crouched for the barest of moments before she righted herself. Her feet never touched the ground now; she hovered everywhere she went via the gift of levitation her role as a Hexling granted her. She glanced again at her pale blue hands and gave a remorseful sigh. Her skin had been golden at one time as had her hair. Now when she did remove the cowl she wore her hair was white as snow. There were two ways to get into Skylands, one via a means that gave them a restricted amount of movement that stuck them reliving past events endlessly and another that opened up all of Skylands to them in the here and now. Every Skylander prayed for the second means and Seraphina's elation over finding herself completely free to move as she pleased was evident by the grin she wore. The second means also allowed Portal Masters to send every Skylander they had found into Skylands at once. Seraphina was one of thirty that had materialized on their Portal Master's own personal island. She turned to watch others stretch their limbs and shake out stiffness.

"What, you off without a word, Swift?" a Chop Chop-type named Ox called after a departing unicorn and dragon hybrid, a Whirlwind-type. The skeletal arkeyan soldier snorted and waved the whole thing off when Swift leapt off the edge of the island and spread her feathery wings to take flight. Ox was forced to step to the side when the gigantic Crusher-type unceremoniously flopped down in the grass nearby. "Nearly pancaked me, stone man," he glared at the giant.  
"I'll try harder next time," the creature of rock grinned. "As the self-appointed babysitter of all Master Sean's Skylanders you take your job seriously. Too seriously. You can't possibly be as cold as your gifted form makes you."  
The Chop Chopling folded his arms in front of his chest; metal clicked and squealed when he did. "You try going from an organic being to a fusion of bone and metal in some necromancer's experiment."  
The stone giant cocked a thick brow of rock, "You say this as if I too did not undergo a similar change."

"Sorry, Herc," the arkeyan sighed.  
"Apology accepted, Ox," Herc nodded. He watched the other Skylanders that had become his surrogate family depart, some via their own means and others flagging down various balloon pilots to pick them up. "You're not racing off, surprise, surprise," Herc called to Seraphina when the Hex-type glided up to him and Ox.  
Seraphina closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, the time is not right for my cousin and friend to be set loose yet." She looked pointedly at the sun, positioned just above the horizon as it rose. "Their Portal Master will not be active until the sun has nearly set again."  
The Crusherling cleared his throat and pushed himself up to tower over the shorter Skylanders before he retrieved the hammer he had set to the side. "My apologies but I do believe I can find my daughter if I'm lucky. Best of luck to you in your searches, Seraphina."  
"Thank you, Herc," she offered the giant a weak smile. Herc was an aging hero, in a way he had lucked out by taking the visage of the giant Crusher. He had his youth and strength back, finding his daughter had been an odd reunion. She had found herself as a copy of Sprocket. In one way thinking of their new family portrait was amusing, in another way deeply mournful.

"Go," Ox said suddenly.  
"Beg your pardon?" Seraphina turned to make sure the arkeyan was speaking to her.  
"Yes, you. Go!" he threw his arms up in an effort to shoo her off. "Look, it's been nearly a month since you found your soon to be husband. Every day since then you've run out to find him. Why is today any different suddenly? You aren't losing hope are you?" If he was capable of making facial expressions the arkeyan's tone said he would have a raised brow and tight expression.  
Seraphina gave Ox a sour look and formed a phantom orb in her hands. She tossed it back and forth like a ball before she crushed it in one hand. "Have you spoken to Blackjack recently?" Ox shrugged, yes he had spoken to the Spyro incarnation but obviously hadn't heard whatever Seraphina was about to lead into. "I know our banishment is still a fresh wound but he told me," Seraphina stopped and shook her head. "Never mind, it is not for me to say. Speak to him, know that he found his sister though and learned of another side effect our banishment has." The elven sorceress turned to glide off towards one of the larger balloons awaiting multiple passengers.

Ox watched her go; he had no desire to set out just yet. He was one of the lucky few, if he could be called that, who knew where their family was. Ox's family was already on the island waiting for him as they hadn't been banished from Skylands. They were good folk but not heroes nor terribly active in the battle against Kaos so they had been spared the banishment. Ox gave the departing balloons one last glance, the faces of the friends he had made through his Portal Master were mixed. Some hopeful, others determined and a few looked resigned. This was no life for them, Kaos had been beaten twice now and their banishment still remained unsolved.

"Ox!" a cheerful voice broke him out of his thoughts. The arkeyan turned back around to find Cheryl, his feline-like mabu wife, running towards him. She was beautiful and her face was lit up joyously at seeing him again. It pained Ox that he could no longer feel her embrace but he held his arms wide for her nonetheless. One day, Ox kept telling himself. One day the banishment would end and the Skylanders would be returned home, Portal Masters needed only to move Skylanders through the sprawling expanse of Skylands rather than across the universe. One day Ox would be his mabu self again and Chop Chop a one of a kind the way it should be.

"Do you ever get tired of ferrying us poor SOBs around?" Nikki, a Flashwing-type, asked the balloon pilot.  
"Hey, it pays well. What can I say? And the ladies I get to meet are something else, you know?"  
"I think we traveled with you a few times," a little round blue armored Wrecking Balling stated in his growling voice.  
"His name is Flynn," Seraphina replied. She looked out into the blue and idly counted balloons coming from other islands. Transporting Skylanders around had become a very profitable business and every mabu, troll, molekin, elf and everything in between wanted to cash in on it. "And I thought you were fond of the Dread-Yacht."

"Uh, your name isn't Demona by any chance, is it?" Flynn asked slowly. He eyed the Hexling suspiciously and put a sturdy and squat Prism Break-type between himself and her.  
"No," Seraphina replied without looking at him. With so many individuals wearing the same face it was hard to tell them all apart and she as well as others had become immune to being mistaken for someone else.  
"Good, cuz she isn't exactly on my best behaved list if you know what I mean," the mabu pilot relaxed visibly then leaned in closer with a hand to his mouth for emphasis. "Bit of a psycho, ya know? Like BOOM – and in the literal, not so good way." Flynn stood back up and grinned as he folded his hands on his hips. "I have the Dread-Yacht alright, this here balloon is way better for carting sight-seeing Skylanders all over creation. My beautiful boat is a fearsome battle ship. Can't be using her to transport Skylanders back and forth from theme parks, ya know. Now, this route has a first stop of the Never-sleep Nexus. Am I right?"  
"Right you are," Nikki nodded. She folded her amethyst wings tightly with the clicking of crystal. "The Nexus." She and a few others of Sean's Skylanders looked eagerly to the horizon, past other Portal Masters' personal islands and the edge of a floating continent that seemed to dominate the sky. That was one of the hubs of Skylands, there were four others linked via a mabu and arkeyan data network that let Skylanders post information for anyone searching for them. The database was largely incomplete, there were always unfortunate Skylanders who had not yet found their way into the present to start their own files or find those looking for them.

"Hey, Seraphina. Isn't that one of your father's ships?"  
The elf in question looked up from where she had been staring off. Sure enough she saw her father's Capricorn banners flying from the masts of a great ship. "He and my mother must be here!" her mood brightened instantly and she watched Flynn's balloon close the distance between her and her parents eagerly. Her parents had avoided exile but all three of their children hadn't. Seraphina was the eldest and her marriage to Kaelin would turn her from princess to queen. Haven would have been the seat of power she shared with Kaelin. Now with them both banished ruling had fallen to Kaelin's mother once again. Seraphina had visited Queen Elanniah many times during her year as nothing more than a visitor to Skylands and its many kingdoms, the Queen had no word of Kaelin either. Seraphina's last visit came after she had found Kaelin briefly; his mother too had seen him for a short period. All Seraphina knew was Kaelin's Portal Master was a child; Seraphina's an adult with more understanding of things. Her parents could bring word of Kaelin as well, if they had been visited by him. She might find news of her siblings as well. So many hopes and dreams, which was all that kept any of them going anymore.

"You know, I never quite expected the opportunity to rub elbows with royalty. You think they'll give me an award or something for bringing their daughter to them?"  
Pyrite, the Prism Breakling, snorted and shook a crystalline arm at him. "Ye didna find her, ya twit. She's been visitin' em for a while now."  
"Yeah, you're not on my nice list either, Pebbles," Flynn muttered under his breath and turned back to piloting the balloon. He was the greatest pilot in all of Skylands when it came to any kind of aircraft, some people had no respect. Still he just might get a reward for safely bringing a princess back to her parents. He never knew the quiet Hex-faced elf was royalty. "So, Princess," Flynn's tone changed. "What does a girl like you do for fun anyway?"  
"Search for my betrothed, Kaelin Alistair, heir to the throne of Haven," she replied with a smirk as she leaned on the edge of the basket.  
"Oh, right," Flynn said slowly. "The missing beau. Gotcha," he clicked his tongue, winked and gave her a thumbs up. "Well if it ever goes south on ya." He pointed both thumbs back towards himself. Hey, if Cali was going to play hard to get it didn't hurt to have options. And Flynn had a lot.

"Shut it, fur ball," Nikki rolled her eyes. The Flashwing-type paced along the length of the balloon's basket and looked up towards the long balloon that provided the needed lift. She always felt so nervous around it and it was no wonder with the sharp edges she and Pyrite sported.  
"Next stop, Never-sleep Nexus!" Flynn called after a few moments of silence. "And if you haven't visited the Gull Galley district yet I suggest you do! I endorsed a whole line of aviator caps and goggles. Fashionable and functional, oh yeah," the mabu pilot announced.

Relief flooded through Seraphina upon seeing the mabu pilot pull back out into the open once he had unloaded the Skylanders Seraphina called friend and taken on new passengers looking to travel to other isles. It didn't stop him from calling to her and asking after her name, the princess simply ignored him. If he wanted her name badly enough he could look into the Reve line himself.  
"Say hi to the King and Queen for me, would ya?" Nikki asked as she galloped alongside Seraphina for a while. "I'd do it myself but time's a-wasting. See you later," she chirped happily before charging off in the opposite direction.

Seraphina waved to Nikki and turned the motion into one to remove her cowl. The real Hex kept her hair short, not Seraphina. She had let it grow long and it touched the seat of her gown easily. She ran her fingers through it to fluff it then pulled off the fabric, fingerless gauntlets she wore constantly. She couldn't change her features but she could change her clothing. Some clones had dyed their hair, gotten tattoos and done various other things to set them apart from their originals. Maybe Seraphina would dye her hair but what was the point, her skin and face couldn't be changed. After removing the gauntlets the Hexling's attention was drawn to a group of Fright Rider-types. Voices didn't match originals at least. Everyone had a distinct voice and it had taught many Skylanders how to tell one another apart when they met under different circumstances. She studied them closely; hoping one might be who she was looking for. She doubted it, the Frightlings milled about and while they took note of her none had any form of reaction. The skeletal ostriches were able to tell people apart by scent and Kaelin's Fright-type, Stampede, would know her. The Princess's heart sank and she moved on past the jousters and their conversation of adventures they and their faithful mounts had been through. She could chase shadows later, her parents were awaiting her arrival. Increasing her speed, the Hex-type glided over the grass and onto the paving stones effortlessly as she headed towards the docks and the royal vessel bearing her family's crest.

King Hayden Reve was a dark haired, blue eyed elf with a medium tan skin tone. His wife, Queen Delyth was blonde haired and honey eyed with paler cream skin. Like all elves from the region of Skylands they hailed from their skin had a decidedly metallic sheen to it most visible in sunlight. The two were enjoying breakfast in their cabin when a knock sounded and the Queen's lady in waiting stepped in with her hands clasped. "Milady, Milord. Princess Seraphina has arrived."  
"Please, let her in," the King said as he stood quickly. He cleaned his hands on a fabric napkin then took Delyth by the hand to help her stand as well. The two barely had time to move away from the table before the cabin door opened and their daughter, wearing the visage of Hex like so many others, glided in.

"Mother, Father," Seraphina said as she glided into an embrace with her parents. It was funny how she couldn't wait to move to Haven with Kaelin and start her new life. Now she missed her parents terribly, it was hard to visit them with her banishment restrictions in the way.  
"You are looking well, my dear," her mother smiled at her when she pulled back. She stroked Seraphina's cheek, she still saw her daughter and not a Hex clone.  
"Have you heard from Anicetus or Eloryn?" she inquired of her younger siblings. Her father's minute shake of his head answered her question. "Kaelin?" Seraphina accepted her father's embrace. It was frustrating for all of them. Her siblings might not have been able to find their way back yet for any number of reasons. There were still Skylanders that had not yet been discovered first and foremost among them. "I miss them," the princess said sadly.  
"As do we all," Hayden said softly. He kissed the top of his daughter's head. "Come, we have a change of clothing for you to make you feel more like yourself again."  
Seraphina smiled, "Thank you father."

As hard as it was to go their separate ways, Seraphina's parents had a kingdom to return to and understood her wishes to keep searching. As her father's flagship pulled away from the port she idly straightened the new soft lavender dress she had donned. So long as her Portal Master didn't close the connection between the worlds she would remain in it. When she was called back the dress would be left in place of the Hex outfit she had sent away with her parents and her return to Skylands would have her dressed as Hex once again. Knowing this she still changed into what her parents brought. It felt nice though to not blend so well with the other Hex-types. It also felt nice to be wearing her signet ring again, her left hand now bore her father's to further identify her. The rings too would find their way back to her parents when she left Skylands, she would have to retrieve them in order to wear them again. One day she would set up a locker on her Portal Master's island to store what she wanted to wear while in Skylands.

"Princess Seraphina or Eloryn?"  
"Seraphina," she replied as she turned. As expected it was a fellow Skylander. He was a blue furred gremlin with large eyes and long pointed ears. He stood with a slight hunch that made him look almost simple-minded. His oversized feet and hands were clawed and covered in fingerless gloves, that and the backpack full of potions was all he wore. The Pop Fizz-type dipped into a bow before her and Seraphina nodded her head in recognition. "May I inquire your name?"  
"Crevan Mikken, Milady. I am, or rather was, an elf in King Faolan's service." No, he was not dimwitted. His manner belied his underlying intellect and his visage was a good way to fool others into thinking he was a simpleton.  
"Ah!" Seraphina smiled, "an ally! It is a pleasure to meet someone who knows of home. You are from Hawk Ridge or an out laying settlement?"  
"Hawk Ridge," Crevan nodded. He spread his arms out and motioned to himself, "I was an elven alchemist. When all Skylanders were banished I found myself changed in ways I never imagined. Theory puts us into classes based on what our strengths were." Seraphina gave a sour look to herself; she became an undead because of her work with magic? What on earth would that make her siblings then? "Forgive me, Princess. I did not mean to distress you. I have an offer, I find myself active in Skylands for months at a time and would like to pledge my services to you to aid you in your quests. It is no secret you search for your siblings still. Allow me to be of assistance and make contacts when you are away." The princess watched him silently; he couldn't help but notice the way she seemed to bob up and down in her hover while thinking.

Finally Seraphina bowed her head, "I have no allies to help me search on a regular basis. My cousin and her husband are rare sights. I accept your offer, Crevan."  
The blue Pop Fizzling bowed again, the potions in his pack clinked and jangled as he did. "I will meet you wherever you determine and at whatever time you set. Let us check the boards for now, after that I will follow your lead."  
"We shall exchange pleasantries, I would like to better know the noble individual who has pledged his services to me."

* * *

Author's notes and frequently asked questions can be found in the "Odyssey" forums. The link is in my profile.


	2. Organization

**Organization**

Nothing, the Hexling really didn't expect anything different. There was no mention of either of her siblings, no mention of Kaelin either nor the other friends she was looking for. Seraphina found Teranika and Rafer listed at last, they had found enough time to set their entries and make them searchable. The Hex-type sighed and rolled her shoulders forward, the mood in the area was overwhelmingly oppressive. So many others like her were disappointed over their lack of information, so many similar faces it was dizzying.

"My family is safe in Hawk Ridge. I was the only one to join the Skylanders. A handful of friends followed me. I have found all but one. The Portal Masters have not discovered all of the most renowned Skylanders yet. I have faith I will find my friend in time."  
Seraphina looked to Crevan; his ears were expressive and currently drooping as he turned large, sympathetic eyes on her. He had been an elf, now he was remade into a mirror image of the gremlin Pop Fizz. As strange as she felt each time she looked in the mirror at least it was still an elf that stared back at her. "My Portal Master's island coordinates are listed there in my file. I am normally active from sunrise to well after sunset daily. There are days in which I am unable to walk Skylands again. I thank you for your help, Crevan."  
Again the gremlin bowed before her, "My services would better suit your needs than my king's at the moment. It is an honor."  
Seraphina allowed herself to smile; it would be nice to have someone to talk to while she searched.

Renting a balloon or ship was the easiest way to get around Skylands. Crevan was as used to it as Seraphina and carried a reasonable amount of gold for that very purpose. The blue gremlin nodded to the elven pilot that had responded to their hail to signal they were ready to depart. The balloon was small; it held a maximum of five riders plus the pilot but none others had joined. Hexes were normally known for their tempers and usually only found in the company of Skylanders that knew them before the change or shared the same Portal Master. It was a nasty reputation to have and it certainly didn't help when so many Hex-type Skylanders lived up to it. So far the princess of Meir Valan had been level headed and friendly. Crevan joined her in sitting on the floor of the basket, a very unceremonious seat for a princess but he understood it made her feel more grounded since she was forced to hover everywhere.

"So tell me a little about who you search for. There is a possibility I might have seen them at one time."  
Seraphina laughed, "There is a possibility _I_ have seen them. No one looks like they should so it makes this all the harder. I could have passed them in crowds on a daily basis and neither of us been the wiser." The elven Hexling shifted slightly before she continued, "I myself studied magic as a healer and Priestess of the Light. I know, a princess studying as a priestess. It was my choice and my parents allowed me my indulgence so long as it did not distract me from my duties as a princess. Two of my friends are priests, one from Meir Valan and one from Hawk Ridge. Galvin is from Meir Valan, Niall fro-"  
"Niall Miach?" Crevan interrupted, "The Prime High Priest of Light?"  
Seraphina nodded, "He was my mentor. I traveled to study with him. He was not a Skylander but rather was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I regret getting him mixed up in this terribly."  
"King Faolan will be indebted to you should you find him. He was a valuable advisor to the throne." Crevan made no mention of the Skylander issue, whether he was formally inducted or not he was a Skylander now.

"I do not know where to start or what face to look for. I became a Hex, an undead, for my skill in magic. Other casters have become Double Trouble, Voodood, Wrecking Ball, Ninjini and Spyro. So I keep an eye out for them primarily when looking for Galvin and Niall. But it is not a given that they wear one of those faces. I have met Skylanders that because they were more gifted with a certain element became a Skylander of that element and not necessarily aligned with magic itself." The princess shook her head. She glanced to the pilot quickly, he couldn't help but by listening was being very polite about it at least. "My cousin Teranika wears Stealth Elf's face; she was more of an information gatherer with no combat experience. Her sudden skill with weapons is new to her. Her husband and my personal guard, Rafer, was always an amazing archer. He became a Flameslinger-type as expected. My brother trained as an alchemist," she looked at the gremlin pointedly, "but also as a swordsman. His personal guard took the same training. They could have taken either path and become any number of Skylanders. My sister, I have no clue who she might have become. Perhaps a Stealth Elf but these things can be hard to predict. You see my predicament? I trust you faced most of the same issues."  
"Aye," the Pop Fizz-type nodded. "That I did."

"Then there is Kaelin Alistair, my betrothed. He became a Fright Rider-type simply because he raised war bird orniteryx as a hobby. As far as I know he never had any jousting lessons, he rode yes. But he never spoke of jousting. So why is he an undead? He was an archer as well as a mage, very well-rounded. But he became an undead like it because he rode Stampede in that final battle and the nature of the curse forced them to be like Fright and Rider?"  
Crevan wiggled his clawed toes and stared at them in silence for a moment. He really didn't have a reply and she didn't expect one either. It was odd for any Skylander to speak of things as they were and how they had changed. "The best place to start is how you have already. I will continue to look for casters in hopes of finding Galvin and Niall. I will keep an eye out for others like me."  
Seraphina rest her head against the basket wall, "Thank you," she replied. The two of them would probably spend every waking hour searching side-by-side but as she had told him before her presence in Skylands wasn't always guaranteed.

"Forgive me for eavesdropping, but have you used our network to further your searches?" the pilot asked as he turned around to the two Skylanders. "It may not be much but anything helps." He pulled out a small index device and handed it to Seraphina. "You put information you wish to share in there. Most like only to share their names, Skylander type and the hub they visit most. The networks set up in the hubs are more detailed and larger but as we travel more and some visiting Skylanders never have time enough to make their entries this can help."  
"Thank you," the princess said. Flynn had almost always been their pilot off the island; he seemed to always find the islands with the most gold to be earned. Never once had he mentioned this network of pilots. Seraphina made her entry quickly then handed it off to Crevan to do the same. His thick fingers and claws gave him pause before Seraphina offered to enter information as he gave it to her. As a final touch she put an entry into both of their files stating they were traveling together in hopes one of the persons they were searching for would make contact with whoever they found first. "It will help tremendously," Seraphina smiled to the pilot.

"My brother is out there somewhere," he replied as he took the index back. "So I can understand. This is not about the money for me. I search while helping others do the same though I have no clue where to start. I hope and I pray information finds me. I wish you luck on that note."  
"I wish the same for you," Seraphina beat Crevan to saying.  
"I will get you to Homecoming Hub as quickly as possible but will not pass up the opportunity to collect other Skylanders along the way."

"Our destination is to the right," the pilot said late in the morning. His passengers had grown by two, as luck would have it he found himself in the company of three Hex-types. Only the princess had bothered to alter her appearance at all. The other two looked like twins in black gowns and cowls. The other two Hexlings also stared at each other like strange cats, it made Crevan keep his ears low against his head and his back against the balloon basket. Princess Seraphina had risen to her feet; her tell-tale hover left a dark ripple of purple mist that seemed to roll out from under her lighter lavender gown. With three Hex-types in the basket the whole of the floor was nearly covered in the fine mist.

Crevan caught himself playing with the stopper in the potion bottle he was holding. Sometimes the altered Skylanders would begin to pick up traits from the Skylander they had been remade in the image of. The Pop Fizz styled gremlin was no different. Whenever he drank one of his potions we would grow in size and find himself with more energy than he knew what to do with. It often led to disastrous results and the alchemist had decided to only use it as a last resort. Silence had settled in the balloon and it was no wonder, every last occupant was a stranger to the others. Crevan had known Princess Seraphina for all of half a morning and had noticed she at least remained closer to him than anyone else in the balloon. Still he could feel the tension between the other two Hexes and was sure Seraphina could as well. The gremlin could sense the magic in all of them and likewise they could sense it in others. They may have been aligned with the undead element but magic was a part of every being in Skylands, some just learned to harness it better than others.

At last the basket bumped lightly onto the soft grass of Homecoming Hub. Like Never-sleep Nexus it was a bustling point of entry for Skylands. Like every other island build for the same purpose it held a sea of faces that repeated no matter where one looked. Crevan reached out to hold Seraphina back when the other Hexlings got into a shoving match upon trying to leave the balloon at once. "Waiting a moment longer will not change our search." He felt for her, he really did. As a princess she was cut off from everything she had ever known but had made no mention of the luxuries lost, only the loved ones she searched for. She was admirable in that respect, hardly the spoiled elf he heard her sister was.

"Listen you second rate copy," one of the Hex-types was saying as she looked the other up and down, "I was on the balloon first and will leave first!"  
The other Hexling huffed, their banishment limited their powers based on how well they worked with their Portal Masters. Her Portal Master favored other Skylanders and had left her in the lower echelons of power. Still, even the Hexling she was arguing with couldn't compare to the third one on board. All she wanted to do was get away from the maelstrom of power that was calmly watching them and dressed as a princess. "I paid your way, if you remember!" she countered with but moved aside regardless. The first Hex-type sniffed and glided down the ramp with her head held high. The weakest Hexling looked back towards the pilot then the third Hex-type and her companion Pop Fizzling. The gremlin had a nearly insane look in his eyes that spurred the Hexling into action and sent her hurrying down the newly cleared ramp.

Seraphina waited a moment longer then turned to shake hands with the pilot again. He gave her a funny look when he pulled his hand back to stare at the coins she had pressed into them. "You have already paid your passage, I cannot accept this."  
Seraphina held her hand up, shook her head and closed her eyes. "That is not for our passage. That is for using your network. Take it as a way to help the next few Skylanders that have no coin of their own for passage."  
The elven pilot stared at the coins a while longer then tried again to return them. "I will help anyone, with or without coin."  
"Keep it," the Hex-type said firmly. "Please. You cannot keep your balloon running without coin no matter what your intentions might be."  
The Pop Fizz-type chuckled, "Take it, friend. The princess will not take no for an answer."  
The pilot's eyes widened, "Forgive me," he said with a bow. "Had I known I would have been more selective in my other passengers."  
"Had you known I would have insisted nothing change," Seraphina said as she glided down the ramp. "Thank you again. I am Seraphina Reve; seek me out in the future if you wish to expand your efforts. I will happily involve my father and family's resources in the efforts to find every missing Skylander."  
"Thank you, Princess," the pilot responded. He followed Crevan down the ramp and waited near his balloon for other fares.

"You are nothing like the stories of you or your siblings I hear."  
The Hexling glanced over her shoulder to the Pop Fizzling. "And what might those stories be?"  
Crevan visibly hesitated in responding as he loped up next to her. "Your sister insists on the finest of everything. Second best is never enough. She wants to bathe with rubies and rose petals in the water and drink with diamonds in her cups. Only silver and gold dishes are allowed to be set before her." The alchemist trailed off when he saw Seraphina's expression sour.

"What of my brother, or myself. What have you heard?"  
"Your brother is eager to prove himself in combat and challenges every swordsman in the kingdom to matches. He searches beyond your father's rule for someone who might be able to give him a challenge. He is overly confident and some say that is his weakness." Crevan felt uncomfortable, he knew Seraphina didn't really want to hear any of this.  
Seraphina snorted, "Eloryn is spoiled but it does not go as far as your stories. Anicetus does like to prove himself but he is hardly the best in the kingdom and he knows this. What do they say of me?" She watched other Skylanders pass her, again a group of Fright Rider-types caught her attention and again none of the Frightlings paid her any mind. She missed Kaelin so much.

The Pop Fizzling swallowed hard before reluctantly continuing. He should have kept his comments to himself. "Your path as a Priestess is known. Some say you wish to disown your family and fully integrate into the clergy. There are also those that say it was a way to try and get out of a marriage to a king you wanted nothing to do with."  
Seraphina sighed deeply, "That could not be further from the truth. Kaelin and I were not an arranged marriage. I traveled to Haven on a retreat once and a brush by chance brought us together. He was a prince then, before his father had passed. He was charming, friendly and a little bit shy. He had no idea who I was; I was not dressed as a princess after all. He was being presented to another king's daughter for a possible arranged marriage and in an act of insubordination slipped out of the palace to wander the streets. We met in the market and at first I did not know who he was. I gave him my cloak to hide under as we walked together; he was dressed like a lord and had told me why he was hiding. As a princess I understood the same could happen to me and I was sympathetic. We spent the whole of the day in each other's company.

"He showed me much of Haven; I told him much of Meir Valan. When night fell his personal guard finally found him. I was amazed at learning who he was and more than a little embarrassed to find myself also confronting Haven's High Prime Priest. He recognized me and the information surprised Kaelin. I met King Saeron and Queen Elanniah that night and after they heard of our exploits they contacted my parents. Kaelin was given permission to court me, we found ourselves inducted into the Skylanders by one of Grandmaster Eon's apprentices along with most of the elves I had grown up with. Just before we were banished plans for our wedding had been made following the death of King Saeron and Kaelin's ascension to the throne. Just like that everything slipped away from us. It is not being a queen I long for, only my king and beloved."  
"I have heard nothing but tall tales indeed," Crevan said after a long moment of silence. "Forgive me, Princess. I will keep an open mind for when we meet your siblings."  
Seraphina smiled, he had said when. It felt good to have someone else share her determination.

"Again, let me stress the importance of who you now are," a hologram image of the real Hex was saying to a group of newly discovered and returned Hexlings. "You wear my face, to all of Skylands you _are_ me and negative actions reflect on everyone else that looks the same. I do not want stains on my reputation," Hex hissed. "No public displays of affection. I am sick of hearing through rumors of who my new romantic companion is." She looked thoroughly disgusted about the topic, Seraphina stopped listening and continued to move but Crevan stopped a while. He let Hex list off other activities she was banning Hexlings from undertaking before he hastened to catch up to Seraphina. "Pop Fizz has done no such thing that I am aware of," he told the princess. "I have not heard of any other Core Skylander addressing their types either."

"Hex is the first," Seraphina nodded back to the group of Hexlings making faces at the hologram image of the real one. "The others are most likely contemplating their requests. Part of me cannot blame her for how it reflects on her but another part is furious with her command to pretty much forget our lives in sake of preserving her image. When I find Kaelin I will throw myself into his arms no matter what she says. I will do the same for my siblings and friends. I am sorry if it reflects negatively on her but her insistence that we live our lives based on her rules is preposterous."

The Pop Fizzling walked backwards for a moment, he heard much of the same coming from the other Hexlings. There was so much to get used to, so much that affected them all because of their circumstances. Crevan couldn't wait for things to return to normal. Judging by the sour expressions and resigned postures around him the sentiment was shared. Crevan turned back around when he bumped into Seraphina; she reached out to take him by the arm when he nearly fell. She didn't scowl at him or say anything harsh, she simply helped him. She was so much different than other Hexlings he had come across, most were just as moody as the real Hex. "Thank you," the gremlin said sheepishly.  
"Lost in thought?" she asked once they were moving again.  
"Always," Crevan replied. He swept his gaze over an assorted group as they played a game of Skystones. Most were smiling and laughing, they took light-hearted activities where ever they presented themselves.

Seraphina clasped her hands behind her back as she waited for a chance to get to the terminals. It was a force of habit for her, even though she had already checked the network on Never-sleep and the pilot's elven index she had to check here. If she found an entry it would mean who she was looking for was possibly currently active in Skylands and with luck she could set up a meeting with them. It was the conversations she had to tune out. Some were ecstatic as they were rejoined with lost allies; others were falling apart as the stress of having no luck for two years got to them. Seraphina had told herself she wouldn't be like them, finding Rafer and Teranika had helped her maintain her hope. She smiled to herself; they had been married while the three of them were active in Skylands. Teranika's family was so proud of her and in the absence of his family; Seraphina's parents had been present to support Rafer. It helped that Seraphina's mother was the sister to Teranika's mother. When they broke the magical banishment Teranika and Rafer would have a proper wedding. So too could Seraphina and Kaelin, that was the day Seraphina wanted to see more than any other.

Crevan's ears stood straight up when he blinked and suddenly Seraphina was missing from her place in the line right in front of him. The gremlin sighed and stepped forward to fill her spot in, her link to Skylands had been closed. Even if her Portal Master re-forged it she would still find herself re-entering on his island. The Pop Fizzling had names to work with; he would keep searching in her absence.

Seraphina's eyes had to adjust to the dim light of the room she was suddenly in. Around her she heard the disgruntled sounds from other Skylanders suddenly returned to their plastic prisons. So that was it, their Portal Master was away attending other duties and until he returned they would remain staring at the far wall in the room his means of getting them back to Skylands were in. Seraphina's figure was frozen with one hand extended in front of her and the other behind her holding a skull orb, she was a Lightcore Hex but that had no bearing on her appearance in Skylands present, just the sections of the past her Portal Master could send her through. Legendary, Lightcore and Special titles seemed to be a bit of technomancy of their banishment and had no real effects on them. After all, Teranika had said she was a gold and blue Legendary but looked no different than any other Stealth Elf in Skylands. Nothing seemed to matter anymore; there was nothing Seraphina could do anyway. Somewhere on the shelf with her a Skylander was weeping in anguish, it was heart wrenching to hear but at certain points nearly all of them had been there. It would take a while for conversation to start, for now everyone was simply dealing with the shock of their unexpected return to their tiny prisons.

"Heh. Am I supposed to be impressed?" the troll gave a toothy grin. "Ain't so tough without your skele-chicken now are you?" He heft up the heavy mace he carried around and stared at the Skylander before him. He knew it wasn't _the_ Rider but it didn't matter anyway. Taunts were taunts. He jumped with a yelp as soon the halberd the undead elf wielded slammed into the ground near him. This elf could wield it effectively and fluidly withdrew it, re-weighted it and thrust out at the slower troll. His mace slowed him but if he dropped it he would be completely open. The troll hissed and slammed his mace into the next thrust of the halberd and felt the resulting shockwave send vibrations up his arm that loosened his grip. The mace was knocked from his grip in almost the same instant and the troll held his hands up and swallowed hard when the blade came up under his chin. "Now, now, let's not be hasty," he laughed nervously.

The undead elf narrowed his eyes, "You attacked me and failed in your attempt to steal my gold."  
The troll licked his lips and looked behind him; surely his pals had finished with the timid Sunburn-type. They would top the rise any moment now and come to his rescue. The troll's hopes were dashed when he heard the scream of trolls and a huge pillar of fire threw harsh light over the red and black armor of the Riderling that had him pinned. The troll's ears drooped when he heard the familiar squawk of the Frightling and saw the skeletal ostrich's head complete with fiercely glowing blue eyes top the ridge just in front of the predominantly red and blue phoenix-dragon. "Maybe we can talk this over, put the past behind us?" the troll asked in a voice that cracked.

The Sunburnling panted hard and folded his gold and scarlet wings loosely by his sides. "They have done this before, I recovered nearly three hundred gold from them, King Kaelin."  
"And you deigned to add my sixty to that," Kaelin pushed harder on his halberd and the troll squeaked as well as tenderly took the blade between fingers. "Tell me, Galvin. What should we do with the thief?"  
The Sunburnling sat up straight and looked at the troll with his harsh red and yellow eyes. He clicked his beak a few times as did the Frightling that was scratching around in the grass behind Kaelin. "Take his weapon, I destroyed the others. Tie him with them and leave them for someone to find. Either they will escape or they will not."

Kaelin shifted so quickly the troll didn't have time to react, the Riderling rolled forward with the punch and righted himself once the troll slumped to the ground in a daze. "I miss my magic," Kaelin sighed before he shouldered the halberd and scrutinized the troll.  
"We all do," Galvin replied. Fire wasn't his element, how had he managed to become a creature aligned with it? "I must admit the ability to fly is nice though."  
Kaelin nodded as he looked back up the rise. "Where did you manage to find rope to restrain them?"  
The Sunburn-type blinked. "I… did not. Forgive me; it could have been possible with the right spell. I find myself unable to touch anything unrelated to fire however."  
"Help me drag him up to the others. We might yet find a way to restrain them."

With clothing torn into strips the three trolls were left tied with their backs together, their own ruined shirts their bonds. Kaelin sat atop his Frightling, Stampede, and rest his halberd on the stirrup to his right. "If we continue to take odd jobs we might finally have earned enough to make travel to the nearest hub." Kaelin still was sore over having found a way to return home once but wrenched away before gathering any sort of currency.  
Galvin sat down to hold up the pouch taken from the trolls in his front claw, "We already have enough. Unless you think you can track down the original owners of the gold to return it."  
Kaelin moved Stampede alongside Galvin; the Frightling only liked two people other than Kaelin. Galvin was one of those lucky individuals, Seraphina the other. Kaelin leaned down to take the pouch of coins from the only ally he had been lucky enough to find again and weighed it. Yes, they could travel now and Kaelin's Portal Master should be able to maintain their connection for a while now without any other issues needing her attention. Every moment Kaelin spent in Skylands was precious; he had on average only two days a week to do so. Galvin shared his time, beyond all odds his Portal Master had procured Galvin from another and the two allies could still converse even when stuck in their plastic prisons. "Why do you wait for me, Galvin? You could possibly make the trip to a hub on your own."

The hybrid cocked his head to the side and stood up to follow Stampede's long stride. "I could go ahead but I cannot leave you behind. You are a king; I am nothing more than a priest. To have the best chance of finding any of the others we are looking for it needs to be you to make an entry more so than myself."  
Kaelin shook his head, he understood Galvin's logic but his friend could have made headway himself, Seraphina had trained with him during her schooling as a priestess and it was no secret Galvin was rather fond of Seraphina's sister Eloryn. In other words the priest had just as many connections as Kaelin himself, it was Galvin's duty to a king other than his own that kept him by Kaelin's side. "There is a drop-point near here, correct?"  
Galvin trotted up ahead of Kaelin and nodded, "I think so," he said with a glance over his shoulder. "If not I could always check out the surrounding islands to bring a pilot back over to here."

The undead elf turned his eyes to the horizon, how the world had been turned on its head. He had only been active in Skylands for just under a year, his type recently rediscovered. Galvin however had been around since almost the beginning and had seen much more of the changes than Kaelin had. Then there was Seraphina, she was a Hexling and should have been active since the beginning. That might not be the case, for whatever reason there were different versions of Skylanders that were recent finds in the home world of the Portal Masters. It didn't matter, Kaelin knew she was active. Kaelin knew he could find his betrothed.  
"We should look into making contact with your mother again, Lord Kaelin," Galvin said to break the silence. "I will see if I can reach Seraphina's family. They will prove the most valuable resources in our efforts."  
The Riderling grinned and spurred Stampede into a trot; Galvin picked up speed as well and easily paced the long-legged bird. "Now you are thinking!" Kaelin laughed to his friend. "Let us find this drop point and with luck a way to the nearest hub."

Crevan's fingers were thick and clumsy but he managed to work around it and navigate the console screens decently. Oh if only Seraphina were still around, Crevan had just found her brother. Prince Anicetus Reve was about as different from his true self as Crevan was. The prince had become an Ignitor-type, from an elf to a fire spirit bound eternally to an enchanted suit of armor. At the moment Crevan was rapidly trying to send messages to the prince of Meir Valan with his clumsy fingers flying over the keys.

_How is she is she with others?_ The prince's latest message said.  
_Your cousin_ _Teranika and Rafer are known to her not with her_, Crevan responded. Replies were short, clipped and rude in the Fizzling's mind but they wouldn't have much time before they were forced to relinquish their terminals for others.  
_You are in Homecoming Hub. I am not far. Meet me at a halfway point can you travel?_  
Crevan replied that he could and a moment later he had coordinates from the prince on where to meet him. A timer began to flicker on Crevan's screen, the prince was likely seeing the same time on his end. Quickly Crevan wished the brother of his new ally well and stepped aside when the terminal automatically logged him out. A nearby mabu turned to watch him, if Crevan failed to move he would be escorted. The alchemist nodded to the mabu and stepped away on his own. Force of habit made Crevan draw a potion from his knap sack; it seemed to be common with all Pop Fizzlings. He rolled his eyes, made a face at himself then put it back. Seraphina had said her brother was a learned alchemist yet he had taken the path of a warrior instead. Crevan tried not to think about the reasoning behind things; they simply had to be accepted. With a swinging gait the gremlin made way towards the docks and the awaiting balloons as well as airships that were available for hire.

"Hey buddy, spare a few gold?" a diminutive Trigger Happyling reached out towards Crevan as the other gremlin passed by.  
Crevan halted and pulled out his coin purse, he remembered all too well being in the same position at one time. "Of course, best of luck to you," the alchemist tossed five pieces to the sharp-shooter.  
The orange gremlin's face lit up, "Thanks!" he replied happily. "This will be more than enough. Thank you, sir!"  
Crevan smirked and waved his fellow Skylander on his way. They may be strangers for the most part but they all understood what their fellows were going through.

"All I am asking is if you are able to drop me off along the way," Crevan stressed to the human pilot. Humans were a rarity in Skylands, it was a wonder any other than Portal Masters had even found a way into the universe's magical center.  
"Yeah, I think I can. I got a tight schedule to uphold though. These folk'll be expecting me to keep it. It'll cost ya extra but I'll do it."  
The gremlin's ears twitched and he looked past the pilot to the waiting Skylanders. "How much extra?"  
"Fifty," the pilot thumbed his nose.  
"Fifty?" Crevan gaped, "That is more than double the standard fare!"  
"Hey bro, time is money. Any of these guys get pulled back before they make their destinations they ain't gonna be too happy. So it'll cost you extra to run them behind their time frames."  
The gremlin narrowed his eyes, of course he would pay. He had only tried to buy passage with four other pilots before this one even bothered to give him a shot. "Very well," Crevan said reluctantly. He pulled out the needed amount and forcefully shoved it into the upturned pilot's hand.  
The pilot smirked as he folded his hand up over the large, heavy coins. "Welcome aboard, Fizzling."

"You been here long?" Crevan looked over his left shoulder before he turned back to the griffon that had spoken to him. "Yes, I'm asking you Fizzling. How long have you been in Skylands?"  
"Nearly a year ago I was returned. I have been active for almost all of that time, rarely am I confined to my plastic prison."  
The griffon that wore Sonic Boom's face nodded. "You have a distinct lack of urgency I have noticed. You are luckier than most of us." The deck of the ship they were on gave the travelers plenty of room to move about on so the griffon had no problems stretching out on her belly and preening her feathers. "This is the first time I have returned to Skylands. My original Portal Master traded me off to another apprentice who shows more aptitude in the matter. But time still restricts my search so much. I envy you," she paused for his name.

"Crevan. I am an elven alchemist in service to King Faolan Young of Hawk Ridge."  
"Well Crevan," the griffon looked him over, "how things have changed for you. I myself have always been a griffon. I miss my white and brown feathers though. I am back now, at the moment that is all that matters. I will find my flock again and my own hatchlings. These strange creatures I summon in battle are not living babies, only the real Sonic Boom carries her cursed hatchlings. Every other Boomling summons something more akin to an undead creature. It is very unnerving when they return to their shells again."  
Crevan made a face, his ears stood straight up, "I had not thought about that."  
The Boomling shook her head and curled back to scratch at the top of her head with a clawed hind leg. "We try not to. I have had the privilege to meet the real Sonic Boom this morning. I know what you are thinking; how can any of us be sure we are meeting the originals? You will know should you find Pop Fizz, trust me." The griffon clicked her beak when the ship began to slow and pull in to port. "This should be your stop, luck be with you Crevan the elven alchemist."  
Crevan dipped into a bow before the Sonic Boom-type. "May luck be with you, lady griffon."

The pilot barely waited for Crevan's second foot to hit the wooden dock before he pulled out and the gremlin had to duck under the plank before it was quickly hauled back by Skylanders shouting to the pilot to be more careful. Crevan grunted and rubbed the back of his head, the gangplank missed him but he felt the wind from it sure enough. The island Prince Anicetus had picked was rather small at five square miles. From his vantage point the alchemist could see the end of it in each direction. The island wasn't flat by a long-shot; Crevan stood atop a rise and looked down into the basin of the thickly forested island. The meeting spot was clearly visible and gave Crevan the idea Anicetus must have planned on a smaller balloon to deliver him directly to it. Crevan had no such luck; the only transport he had found was a larger ship that wouldn't be able to land in the confined area.

Luck was with Crevan however, as small as the island was it wasn't unpopulated. Crevan walked down the dock and stepped into the hard packed dirt to join the bustling crowds of various Skylands races. Merchants hawked their wares, inn keepers had criers out to advertise their menus and vacancies and there was no shortage of youth trying to tempt travelers into following them back to an area they could either find a wagon ride to the other landing on the island or rent their own mounts. Crevan would have preferred to take a wagon to the balloon field but without knowing how much time the Prince of Meir Valan had it would be a mount Crevan would look into.  
"Hey mister, we got reagents if you're looking to buy. Alchemy lab for rent with everything you need for your craft."  
Crevan cocked his head to the side as he studied the golding child that was obviously trying to garner business for whomever he was apprenticed to. The gremlin kneeled down to look the boy in the eye. "Actually, perhaps you can assist me in finding a means of travel instead."

The various large birds of Skylands weren't the only way to travel over land but they were a much more familiar means of travel than the large bipedal reptilian trekkers Crevan found himself staring at.  
"One way rental options. Got a sister stall right next to where yer tryin' ta go," the mabu stable owner said as he leaned on the fence next to the Pop Fizzling. He followed Crevan's gaze out to the large chocolate-colored female that was in the middle of a dust bath. "She's the most docile if you're a first time rider. Course, that means she's also the slowest. Mah boy said yer in a hurry so if I may be so bold as to suggest lookin' inta one of my smaller fleet of foot stock? They're young and spirited but I think ya might be able to handle it." He pushed up the wide brim of the hat he wore and looked at the gremlin closely. "Yeah, I think ye'll do fine."

Crevan folded his hands together and leaned on the wooden fence that corralled the trekkers. He watched the more spirited individuals the mabu had pointed out. They were playing, rough housing more like it. He saw them ram each other, squawk and nip at necks and shoulders as they ran in circles and jumped to avoid tail swipes from their fellows. "_I_ will not find myself on the receiving end of those bites will I?"  
"Ain't gonna lie," the mabu answered as he pushed his hat back down, "Ya might. But if ya tug on the reins you can straighten the head well enough."  
"If I offer fifteen gold, what can you give me?"  
"That one," the mabu pointed to an old bull with rounded nubs of horns on his head and a series of scars crisscrossing his pale yellow hide. "Named him Stomp. Heavy footed but sure-footed at least. Ain't the fastest but he ain't the slowest. Can be temperamental though, by that I mean he's gonna tell ya when ya can stop, not the other way around. He might get ya there in one go, he might not. Give me five more and I can give ya one that will ensure you travel at the pace ya set."  
"Done."

Crevan checked the saddle one last time on his rust red rented bull. His horns weren't as worn as some others, mainly because he was a younger male and age hadn't worn them out. At least Rudy wasn't foul-tempered, Crevan actually found him rather well-mannered. The gremlin grunted as he put a foot into the stirrup and hauled himself up onto the thick-limbed lizard. Rudy made a noise similar to a rumble and tosses his head, his leathery skin waddled with it and stilled quickly.  
"See, told ya. Manageable."  
"Yes, he is," Crevan looked down on the mabu. "Thank you again."  
The mabu nodded and opened the second gate to allow Crevan to take the trekker through the holding pen and out into the field beyond. "Jes follow that trail and ye'll find yer way easy enough. Remember, you want to find the Sanded Talon Stable to get back that five gold deposit."

Anicetus Reve sheathed the sword he carried. It wasn't _his_ sword; it was a copy of the real Ignitor's sword. His personal sword would have set him apart from the others with his family's crest. There were no less than fifteen other Ignitorlings in the same area he was in. At least, he _thought_ it was fifteen; they all looked the same and moved about far too much to be sure. For just a moment Anicetus willed his fire form to step away from the armor he was bound to. He missed the feel of the wind on his skin, the way the grass or dirt felt under bare feet. He missed a lot and now that he had found a Portal Master that could get him back into Skylands he was looking to experience all he missed. Well, he was trying to experience as much as possible. The ground had no feel under Anicetus's ethereal fire feet, the wind made his flames dance but he didn't feel it. With a groan the fire spirit returned to his armor. This way he could interact with the environment without setting anything on fire.

His helm creaked as it made contact with his shoulder pauldrons as he scanned the area. Crevan was a Fizzling; so far Anicetus had seen none. To say he was anxious would be an understatement; Anicetus was a nervous wreck. He had no idea who Crevan was other than he knew his sister and was from an allied kingdom. And there were his parents who he had left word for of his Portal Master's island coordinates. It would be so good to see them again especially after he and his father had argued the last time they saw each other. The elven prince, now a spirit knight, began to pace about in the open area of the square. His special affliction kept most gawkers at a distance, they would mill about and point and whisper but would never come closer than ten feet.

"Prince Anicetus Reve?"  
The Ignitorling had been so focused on the balloon field that he failed to watch the winding road behind him. He turned around to see the bright blue fur of a Pop Fizzling catch the light of the sun and look all the more vibrant next to the rusty hide of the trekker he was riding. "Crevan Mikken?"  
"The one and only," he bowed from the saddle. Crevan reined in his trekker and pulled the reptile up alongside the prince before he swung one leg over the beast's back to dismount. "It is an honor to hold company with two members of the Meir Valan royal family."  
Anicetus held his arms out wide, "Though at the moment I am not recognizable as such. Kaos will pay for this, I only wish my hand could be the one to strike that blow."  
"You and every last Skylander wishes the same," Crevan said as he tugged the trekker to walk alongside him. "Please, walk with me Prince Anicetus. We can discuss what these past two years have brought you as well as your sister Princess Seraphina."

They had found themselves in the midst of another ambush, this time by Darksiders in service to Kaos. The group was mixed and the tide was in their favor, Kaelin and Galvin were sorely pressed. Galvin was on his side breathing shallowly and Stampede was hissing fiercely at the gillman trying to get past him to finish off the Sunburnling. Kaelin had separated himself from his mount for the purpose of protecting his friend but it left him in a tough spot against the two Darksiders aligned with the element of life.  
"Not so tough without the bone grunt, huh?" the green and deep red forest dragon sneered. He bore a resemblance to Camo but was nothing like the Skylander he could be mistaken for. His leafy scales made a rattling sound as he shook his neck and opened his jaws for a breath attack. Kaelin's eyes widened and he took a dive out of the way, before the change that had been his element. Now it was the most potent one to affect him in his undead state.  
"Oh, I don tink so," the other Darksider, a plant-like  
bambazooker, warned as he leveled out his bamboo tube, sighted and fired a scattershot of exploding thorns at the Riderling.

Stampede screeched and jerked suddenly, the gillman he had pressed under his foot was baffled by the erratic movements of the Frightling but understood when he saw the smoke rising from the Riderling's armor. The gillman grinned and with the right leverage was able to move out from under the Frightling and clamor back to his feet. The curse of their banishment meant the rider and steed were connected, what affected one so in turn affected the other. So it didn't matter who took care of which part of the Fright Rider-type, both mount and jouster would be beaten at the same time. The gillman primed his water cannon and let a heavy-hitting stream of water hit the Frightling square in the chest. It didn't work as well as it should have, with the Frightling being only bone there wasn't much of a surface to strike but it at least bought the gillman some time. "Bye-bye, birdy," he gurgled with a laugh before discharging his harpoon right into the Frightling's glowing left eye. The skeletal ostrich let out a cry of agony as he stumbled backwards, his cry mixing with the anguish of his rider whom now clutched his eye just the same. A moment later and both Skylanders were gone in a swirl of mist. They weren't dead; the curse afforded them a measure of immortality. They had simply returned to Earth and their prisons to rest and heal.

By the time the gillman had turned his attention back to the Sunburnling Galvin had risen to his feet. The hybrid let loose a stream of fire that engulfed the gillman and sent him back to his master for recovery. Panting hard Galvin turned his attention to the remaining Darksiders.  
"Hardly seems fair, ya know?" the forest dragon sneered. Again his leafy scales made a rattling sound as he hunched his shoulders and prepared to lunge.  
"De elf wasna checked for gold. Make sure dat one is," the bambazooka pointed at Galvin with his launcher. They would have to subdue the dragon-phoenix hybrid somehow to successfully check him for gold. At first glance it seemed the hybrid couldn't be carrying anything but they'd be fools to believe it.

Galvin looked between the two Darksiders, Kaelin had managed to wound the forest dragon but a breath attack from it would still be just as potent. Light, how Galvin missed his magic! He could have healed himself so quickly with it and rendered the Darksiders immobile at the same time. Galvin summoned the needed magic for what he could do and seemingly burst into a raging inferno that made both assailants cry out in surprise. After a shower of embers and streamers of fire Galvin was standing behind the two Darksiders, his time was very short as without any fuel the fires of his teleportation would burn out quickly. Galvin released another stream of fire and saw the forest dragon's dark silhouette blink out nearly instantly. Galvin's jaws snapped shut and his eye widened when he heard the boom from the bamboo bazooka. The Burnling turned in an effort to dodge the projectile but only succeeded in changing the angle and location in which it hit him. A moment of intense, searing pain was followed by the quick snap akin to the sensation of falling when nearly asleep and gave way to the familiar disembodied feeling. Galvin groaned loudly when his vision cleared and showed him back in his Portal Master's portal room.

"Galvin?" Kaelin asked from his position somewhere behind the other Skylander.  
"I am sorry," Galvin replied with a soft tone. "I was able to remove two of them before I was sent back." He heard the soft warble of Stampede, the Frightling just as saddened over the lack of freedom as his rider. "They were nothing more than bandits looking for gold. Even though you carried it I still fought back as if afraid they would take it from me. I wish I knew if I damaged the third one enough to decommission for a while."  
"You did well, Galvin," Kaelin tried to raise his spirits with praise. "There is always the next day."  
"The next day," Galvin agreed. It was a sad thought; the next day could be tomorrow or a week or more from now.


	3. Small Reunions

**Small Reunions**

Crevan had informed Anicetus about much, things that the hub network didn't have listed. He still could not get over the fact that his cousin Teranika had managed to marry Rafer during their banishment. As he had expected it felt wonderful to see his parents again even if it was only through an image on a screen. His father had given him his sword back with a word on where to find it. Anicetus was surprised to discover a locker for him on Never-sleep Nexus containing a few items he found important. The sword had been the largest surprise for Anicetus remembered losing it on the battle field at the time of banishment. Found first by a troll where it had fallen it had circulated through markets before someone in the kingdom recognized it and brought it back to his father. Anicetus kept testing the weight of it, it felt different now. Perhaps it was because Ignitor had a different build than Anicetus did in his true form. It didn't matter as the prince much rather preferred his own sword even if it wasn't ensorcelled to be swathed in flame. Now he had something to show who he was, something that would be recognizable to those that knew him best.

"Seraphina said when the sun has nearly set?" Anicetus turned to Crevan. The only visual clue that could be recognized as a show of emotions for the Ignitorling was the colors his flames turned. He was anxious and the flames flickered between a very deep red and bright oranges and yellows.  
The Fizzling nodded, "She did. And that this was the best place to meet them."  
Anicetus turned his head towards the sun; he was anxious all over again. It wasn't a for sure of course, there was always the possibility the two wouldn't be able to make it into Skylands that day. Anicetus wasn't going to give up on them though, he would wait there until dawn or he was taken from Skylands himself. The prince watched Crevan stand and walk out, he turned his gaze to follow the gremlin and took note of a Stealth Elf walking hand-in-hand with a Flameslinger. Anicetus held his breath and his flames went stark white, could it be? He knew the possibilities of there being more than one couple exactly like the one he searched for were great.

"Lady Teranika, Sir Rafer?" Crevan ventured forth a guess.  
"Yes," Teranika replied. She had pulled her veil down much like Rafer had removed his blindfold. The female elf squinted at him, "Meilyr?" she asked, doubt evident in her voice.  
Crevan shook his head, "No, milady. I am simply an acquaintance of your cousin, Princess Seraphina."  
"Tera!" Anicetus exclaimed as he raced to meet her. His flames had changed colors to a softer, happier shade of yellow as he greeted his friends.  
The Stealthling's eyes widened as she took in the spirit knight now rushing her with open arms. "Ani?" she asked in amazement. "Ani!" she cried happily before accepting the knight's embrace. He was warm, uncomfortably so and he seemed to understand when he pulled back to look at the two of them.

"You have certainly changed, Prince," Rafer said. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes and tone.  
Anicetus raised a hand and flexed his fingers; his flames turned a cool blue. "It is like being trapped in my prison on Earth. Only here I can move. Still I feel nothing. I grow weak in combat and must rest but pain escapes me as does hunger, weariness, thirst and all other physical sensations. At times I do not feel real." Anicetus turned his head to look at the three, Crevan's ears were drooping and Teranika had her fists pressed to her lips while Rafer bowed his head and clasped his hands in front of him. "Forgive me," the prince sighed. How he missed having facial expressions, to him without a visual means of communication he felt all the more distant from those before him. "It is good to see you," he said in a tone that said he was smiling and was bolstered by the shift in flame color to soft yellow again.

Rafer clasped Anicetus's arm at the elbow in the elven fashion and clapped him on the shoulder with his other hand. "It is good to see you as well. I have been here in Skylands since the new Portal Masters first discovered us. The first year of my existence was dull and lonely. But with the return of the Giants I finally found Tera and Sera."  
"My first portal master did not bond with us the way my second has. The first allies I made have been passed to other Portal Masters and I have not seen them since. I cannot begin to express how my heart soars to find old friends at last." Anicetus grasped Rafer's arm at the elbow quickly then released him, the prince knew all too well how warm the armor would get and it only pained him further. "This is Crevan," he said as he stepped away and held an arm out to the Fizzling behind him. "He met my sister just this morning and he had agreed to help us search for others."  
"It is a pleasure to meet you," he bowed to the two newcomers.

"Might we have the opportunity to meet your Portal Master?" Rafer inquired.  
Crevan shook his head, "She keeps to herself. She allows us to roam freely and likes to hear our stories when we return to her island. One day when Earth again believes in magic it might be possible for her to experience Skylands the way we do. That day may also enable us to walk Earth as we do Skylands, a whole new adventure. Until then I suppose Grandmaster Eon and the scant few humans already here will be the only ones in Skylands."  
"Sam sometimes checks in on us," Teranika said sheepishly. "He has arrived in time to frighten off Darksiders before and startle other Skylanders in our presence. You may meet him some day, the standard holographic image of course."  
"How wonderful," Anicetus said flatly. He wasn't thrilled with the concept; he had run into some very young and very childish Portal Masters before. It really was sad that the belief of magic was strongest in children until life and adults stamped it out. He was suddenly very grateful for his second Portal Master.

"You turned blue again," Teranika said. "What are you thinking about?"  
The Ignitorling turned his head up to his cousin and his color went from blue to green and finally pale yellow. "Probably the same self-pitying thoughts all of you have had before. I forget my show of emotion is no longer facial expressions but flame color. I guess I am not that hard to view as a person after all."  
Crevan clapped his hands together to get attention, "Now then. What is next on the agenda? There are many other persons to find and we have not the slightest indication where to start."  
Rafer ran a hand through his blue hair and looked between Anicetus and the Fizzling. "This evening I think simply catching up with one another would be best. I would like to know you better, Crevan. Why have you decided to help us?"  
"As a servant to royalty I understand the importance of allies. I have been away from Hawk Ridge too long and my status as a Skylanders has estranged me from my duties. To serve another and an ally of my king's at that would give me some semblance of my old lifestyle." The gremlin folded one arm at his waist and the other behind his back before he bowed. "It would be an honor to serve the Reve family."  
"Thank you," Teranika replied when Anicetus failed to. "It means a lot to have an outsider work with us. Our Portal Master is only capable of so much."

With the rising of the sun Teranika and Rafer departed. It seemed like time had passed all too quickly for the trio; they still had so many stories to tell. Anicetus stared forlornly where they had been standing before wishing him well. He had just found them again and to part so soon left a terrible feeling of fear in the pit of his stomach. They were happy, as happy as could be in their current situation at least. It warmed Anicetus's heart to hear of their wedding even if they were ashamed to admit it was hasty and hardly fitting. So few attendants, such a short time to make it possible. But they had done it and it stood as a promise to not let hardships come between them. Then there was the fact they had been lucky enough to be found by the same Portal Master, it did wonders to raise hope even for Anicetus.

Crevan stood near the silent prince; his flames were a soft orange and gave no indication what the Ignitorling was thinking. The Fizzling was weary for once; being in Skylands indefinitely allowed him opportunity to sleep and he had not done so yet. "Your sister should be arriving soon," he said at last.  
"Sera?" Anicetus asked. His flames went white again; it either meant hope or anxiety.  
Crevan suppressed a yawn and nodded his head. "We can meet her on her Portal Master's island or back in Never-sleep Nexus. I know that is where she starts her searches."  
The Ignitorling cocked his head to the side, "You look exhausted. You should find rest soon."  
Crevan suppressed another yawn, "Once I see you back with your sister I will. If I fail to find rest I will simply return to my figurine on Earth. My Portal Master will return me once I have recovered from my self-inflicted 'sick leave' fully," the Fizzling smirked.

"I think one day we should try to get our Portal Masters to meet with one another. Just another way to further our efforts."  
Crevan gave a short nod and rubbed at his eyes with a balled up fist, light he was tired. He hadn't stayed up that long in a while. "Have you the gold to make the trip?" Crevan did yawn that time.  
"I built up a fair amount in my adventuring, I will be fine. I thin-" Anicetus blinked when Crevan simply vanished. The Skylander was more tired than he had thought apparently. "Thank you, Crevan," he said to the empty space the gremlin had occupied. "You will make a fine ally."

This morning Seraphina was the first one to the balloons. Trailing behind her in a strange sort of hover much like the Hexling used was a translucent image of an adult male human wearing horn rimmed glasses and close cropped dark hair. "I know you're excited but let me help this once. I would really like to see these friends of yours."  
Seraphina turned back to the holographic image of her Portal Master. The human was dressed in an open blazer and pressed slacks, not adventuring attire but as Sean was a sales representative in a technology company on Earth it was more fitting for him. The hologram was powered by the crystal hovering roughly in the area of Sean's heart and for the moment was the only means Portal Masters had of 'walking' Skylands. "I thought you had to be in the office," she replied slowly. It wasn't that she wished Sean wouldn't join her but if he failed to make ends meet to keep his lifestyle running it would hurt all of his Skylanders just as much.  
Sean shook his head, "Nah. I can run things from the home office today. I had forgotten renovations started today. It's alright Seraphina; if you'd rather speak to your friends first I will remain here."

"I am sorry," the Hexling said as she lowered her eyes. At the moment she was still dressed the same as any other of her type. With luck her locker on Never-sleep had been restocked with a change of clothing. That reminded her, "Sean, do you think it possible to provide lockers for us here in the lair? A place to store items we find valuable but cannot hold onto when sent back to Earth?"  
Sean's face lit up, "Excellent idea! I will spend my time looking into that instead. I can be more productive then. If willing please, bring your friends back here. I will extend the same offer to the others." Sean hesitated for a moment. "If I can make contact with their Portal Masters then maybe I can collect them and bring you closer."

Seraphina's heart skipped a beat and she knew her eyes must have looked ready to fall out. "You can do that?"  
The human gave her a sheepish grin, "Yes and no. It might be considered threatening to the other Masters but it is at least worth a shot." Sean looked up and past the hopeful Hexling to the first balloon to land, none other than Flynn's. "You might want to wait for the next one," he chuckled before turning around.  
When Seraphina saw who it was she agreed, just this once she could wait for the next one. Her thoughts raced with the possibilities Sean had laid forth. To have her dearest friends next to her when on Earth would take so much of the sting their banishment left away from her thoughts.

"Remember to update your files regularly. Any change in information could mean the difference between finding who you seek and remaining without contact," the terminal's pre-programmed message droned on when at last Seraphina had reached Never-sleep Nexus to log in. She was still amused by the balance of technology to magic in Skylands. It was obvious they preferred to use magic but things such as the terminal she was using weren't all that uncommon. Seraphina hadn't yet changed out of Hex's attire but at least removed the gauntlets and cowl before she looked up Crevan to find his whereabouts. When she pinged him the gremlin failed to respond. No problem, he might not be near a terminal. If only they had set up an exact location to meet. She had nearly clicked off his profile when she noticed the blinking 'updated' message near contacts. The princess's mouth went dry when she opened the window and found her brother, Anicetus Reve, listed. He was an Ignitorling, for the first time in two years she saw her brother again. She glanced to her left; an Ignitorling was standing there using the terminal. Quickly she navigated to her brother's profile and after a few moments of hesitation and debate she pinged him.

_Sera!_ His reply came nearly instantly. _Where are you?_  
_Never-sleep Nexus_, the Hexling replied. Her hands were shaking terribly now and her heart was in her throat. Her brother, she had found him! _You?_ There was a pause and the Ignitorling next to Seraphina laughed. She glanced back at him, nah, it couldn't be. What were the odds?  
_I am in Never-sleep as well_, Anicetus replied at last. _There are several banks of terminals. I think I am in the red section._

Seraphina's heart skipped a beat, her terminal was red. He was in the same area as her. It was a large area though, quite literally nearly fifty terminals and there were multiple Ignitorlings in the area. To Seraphina's right was another Hexling; just as she thought any of the Ignitorlings could be him he must think the same of the Hexlings. _What number is your terminal?_ She ventured forth. Silence.  
"Excuse me," the Ignitorling to Seraphina's left said suddenly. "How do you find the terminal's number?" He was taken aback by the wide-eyed stare the Hexling was giving him, maybe he had startled her?  
"Ani?" she asked tentatively. "Ani!" the Hexling squealed and threw herself towards the familiar voice. "Oh light, I missed you brother!"  
Anicetus laughed heartily as he accepted the undead elf's embrace. "And I missed you, sister." His heart soared; that was one more person added to the list of friends and family he had found. "Oh Seraphina, I am so sorry," he said as he held her out at arm's length.

"Do not apologize to me," she said while wiping a tear from her eye. "It is not your fault we were separated."  
Anicetus studied his sister's face. He had meant because she was now undead but didn't have the heart to correct her. It was strange and dreamlike almost to look into the face of Hex and call her by his sister's name. How similar she must be feeling about him, he mused.  
"Forgive me," Seraphina sniffled. "Our time is limited, help me look for others? I will take Kaelin, Galvin and Niall if you search for Eloryn and Meilyr."  
Almost as if he was afraid his sister would vanish again the prince moved hesitantly back to his terminal. "Yes, of course. A moment longer and we can catch up."

It was a cozy little dinner filled with normal Skylands residents and the cursed Skylanders as well. Conversations were soft and the smell of coffee mingled with pancakes, eggs and other assorted breakfast items. At one table sat Seraphina across from Anicetus, the former was making gestures while she told a tale of adventures and antics during her return trips to Skylands. "And then he convinced another Flameslinger to sit with Teranika and I during our leisure time at the cafe and not say a word when spoken to. It drove Tera crazy and I had never been so furious with Rafer!" Still Seraphina was smiling as she recounted the tale to her brother. "In the end it was the other Flameslinger to chew Rafer out for his prank. How he even got the nerve to do that to either of us I will never know."

Anicetus chuckled and folded one gauntleted hand around the empty cup in front of him. Seraphina was the only one dining as food offered no nourishment to him but he at least felt more involved with empty dinnerware in front of him. Come to think of it, did the undead need to eat either? That was a question he couldn't bring himself to ask. "It is good to see you smile. It is good to see anyone smile. Moods with my previous Portal Master were always so dour and forlorn. I myself feel better with the new one."  
Seraphina shifted in her set. "My Portal Master, Sean, has made an offer to try and acquire the figurines of those closest to us. If you can somehow arrange a meeting between our Portal Masters maybe something could be worked out?"  
The prince sighed and sat back, his flames a soft orange and doing nothing to give away what he was thinking. "It is something to think about. I can tell you now my own will expect something in return. Even though this is our lives in the balance they, the Portal Masters I mean, still need to feel things are even."

Seraphina hid her sour expression behind the cup she raised to her lips. Why did they need to feel compensated for a trade of lives? "Certainly your Portal Master will understand."  
"Perhaps. But we are the only links to Skylands they have. They live vicariously through us. Some are just as enthralled with the world as we are. To let Skylanders leave their roster lessens their experiences here."  
If her eyes hadn't been solid white the other Skylander would have seen them roll. "I may not like that explanation but apparently that is for Portal Masters to understand."  
The Ignitorling leaned on the table and laced his fingers together. "My Master, Issac, has spoken of an exchange before. I do not understand it but apparently it is forum in which Portal Masters trade Skylanders based not on type but who they were and who they search for. So long as the other is willing to trade a Skylander, any type and element, they will be able to acquire the person they are searching for. I will ask him when we speak next and then pass the information to you."  
"Thank you," Seraphina said before she took another sip of her tea. "Anything that brings us closer together is worth a try."

After breakfast Anicetus followed Seraphina back to the terminals to find nothing had changed. From there the siblings hired a balloon and traveled to a small group of islands linked together with suspension bridges. It had been planned at one time to be developed into a theme park. The landscape obviously handcrafted with trees in a row and long overgrown flowerbeds flanking the beginning of a plaza. There were no other signs of construction on the main island; it looked peculiar to say the least with a walkway that went nowhere. The reasoning behind the visit to the island string was clear; here there was an abundance of chompy-spawning root runners. Perhaps it was a peculiar way for the siblings to spend time together but neither seemed to mind.

"Impressive," Anicetus said after witnessing his sister use skull rain. It took out the purple pod and a multitude of chompies all without them being aware.  
"It is handy but limited in usefulness."  
Anicetus drew his blade and watched the way light played on the steel. "I am loth to admit it but Ignitor's original blade is more fitting for my current form. But I will use my own simply for a means to set me apart from the herd." The Ignitorling sliced through the air and tossed it to his other hand before giving the hilt a good twist and letting it spin in his loose grip. "I am unable to do certain sword specific magic attacks but that does not mean my skill is any less." His flames seemed to burn brighter in their usual orange color, he was proud of that and as a swordsman before the change he had his own style to separate him from those that only knew Ignitor's. "I learned a few things from Ignitor though," he said aloud without realizing Seraphina wouldn't be following his train of thought. Anicetus glanced to his sister to see her kneel on the small ridge they were perched on. Having been left alone the chompies were congregating under the siblings.

Unlike nearly every other life form a chompy's jaw was hinged for the top to move over a stationary lower jaw. It gave them a comical appearance when their eye stalks bounced and vibrated from their constant tooth gnashing.  
"I still think I could tame one and train him. Or her, it? Do chompies even have genders? They are plant spawn after all."  
A chuckle was the only reply Anicetus had for her. "Are we here to exterminate this infestation?"  
Seraphina stood and shook her head, "Not this one. That one," she pointed to one of the other islands. Anicetus followed her finger to a dragonet hive on another island. "I took a job a few days ago to exterminate them for a farmer the next sector over. They have ruined his crops enough times to become a problem."  
"That is a large hive, Sera. Without assistance they could easily overwhelm you."  
"Oh they did. But not before I did a fair amount of damage. If you could set a few fires for me we could finish them off for good."

Anicetus ducked yet another fireball as he set ablaze an annex of the hive. He had stirred up the dragonets well enough by then. Seraphina was still hidden and would remain so until he gave the all clear. That didn't mean she was unable to use skull rain; the large troll skulls she conjured rained down on the hive in the areas dragonets were fluttering out of. So far none had caught onto her presence. With a quick glance upwards the Ignitorling confirmed the interior of the hive had filled with thick oily smoke. Dragonets were pouring out and spiraling upwards away from the Ignitorling that at that point looked like just another burning fixture. "Go, Seraphina!" the Ignitorling called out.  
The Hexling made herself vulnerable by stepping out into plain sight. With a visual on the hive she could use skull rain to pummel blazing sections and spread the flames. At times she would lob a phantom orb or two; the skull rain was simply much more potent however. Most of the dragonets would survive but with their hive destroyed they would have no choice but to move on. "Return to me, Ani," the Hexling shouted over the droning of wings and crackle of flames.  
"Is this what we have been reduced to?" the Ignitorling asked sourly upon climbing the rise to meet with his sister.  
She was silent and simply hovered in place as the dragonets began to disperse in several directions. She turned her solid white eyes to her brother, her brow line soft and troubled. "Would you rather keep yourself by your Portal Master's side and never travel on your own? I want to go home but would spend the majority of my time in Skylands traveling there. I visit but cannot return for good. This is what I do to make myself feel useful when our attention is not needed elsewhere. It is neither glamorous nor desirable but the alternative is to wallow. Is that how you would rather pass time?"

The Ignitorling's fire turned blood red as he balled one hand into a fist. He turned from his sister and sighed, "I am going to be king one day. Rather than having a hand in the political matters of the kingdom I am here, removed from my duties at home. This is not what I want, it could be worse and it could be better. Are you happy wearing Hex's face and wielding her powers? I want to be me again. I do not want to be this _copy _of someone else. I do not want to be mistaken for someone else."  
"Ani, please," Seraphina pleaded. "Can we not talk about this? You must be tired; you have been active since yesterday. I will come with you back to your Portal Master's island. You should rest; you will feel better if you do."  
"Yes, I should rest." And just like that he was gone, the Skylander sent himself back to Earth most likely to brood.  
The Hexling gawked after him in confusion, what had just happened? This was not how she saw her reunion with her younger brother at all. Seraphina shook her head and began to glide back to the drop point; she would still report her brother's assistance to the farmer.

After a brief stop back at the Nexus Seraphina was once again traveling via balloon. Her parents had placed everything back into her locker and hanging next to her lavender gown was her attire as a priestess. Seraphina chose that for her day's wear. Meir Valan's style put her in white trousers and a robe-like white shirt with billowing sleeves and gold trim. The robe-like shirt had tails that reached nearly her knees but left the sides of her legs bare. That way the form-fitting trousers she wore could be seen before they were tucked into her knee-high boots. The robe itself was emblemized with the sunburst that represented the Order of Light her addition was a pin she wore near the collar displaying her family's Capricorn. Along with the rings on her fingers they would make her more easily recognizable. The princess turned priestess had contemplated leaving her staff of rank behind, when not used as a pole arm in combat it was a walking stick. Since Seraphina's feet no longer touched the ground she felt silly. In the end she brought it for the familiar feel it allowed her.

"Don't you find it a bit odd that you became an undead Skylander, priestess?" the mabu pilot asked.  
_Finally_, Seraphina thought. He had only been trying to sneak glances at her since she first boarded. She wondered if he was ever going to work up the nerve to simply ask or continue to irritate her with his failed attempts at being covert. "Yes, I do," she said simply. The Hexling leaned on the balloon's basket, it was a very small balloon and used mainly for personal travel but the pilot had decided to make a stop and help someone out if they were going his way.  
The mabu looked as if he wanted to ask more but didn't, if the Hexling wasn't going to be chatty he wouldn't press it. "Are you going to visit Mark about his dragonet problem?"  
"I am," Seraphina replied. Again she purposely made her reply short. After her brother's earlier antics she didn't really feel up to speaking. She hoped she wasn't being rude however, the last thing she wanted to do was continue to perpetrate the stereotype about Hexlings while wearing the garb of a priestess. "I am returning to update him on the status, I accepted his job posting." Seraphina thought she should at least try to be a little friendlier, it wasn't the pilot's fault her day had been so strange.  
"I think if you Skylanders weren't such loners it might be easier."  
"I had assistance," she said carefully so as not to sound snappy. "He had to return to Earth and rest." Not the whole truth but all the pilot needed to know.  
"Oh," the pilot said simply. He seemed to lose interest after that.

"Thank you again," Seraphina said to the pilot as he tied his balloon off at the dock. He was surprised when she paid him normal fare for the larger balloons. "Keep it," Seraphina said with a raised hand. "You did not have to offer me passage but you did. You saved me a larger fare and I made for poor company. Please, keep it."  
"I was comin' here anyway," the pilot said as he weighed the coins in his hand. "Was no problem." When he finally looked up the Hexling was already gliding off, unless he wanted to follow her the coins were going to stay with him. The mabu shook his head and slipped them into his pocket, well the extra gold certainly didn't hurt.

The island Seraphina found herself on was predominately an agricultural hub, a huge sprawling expanse that possibly took days to travel from one end to the next. Land was divided into different farms and further sectioned off into types of crops. The farm she was looking for specialized in fruits and wool. It had many orchards, vineyards and groves for a multitude of different fruit-producing plants. It was easy enough to find, nearly all of the farms in the area grew different products, some more livestock than anything else. The front yard was a sprawling expanse of lush green grass, the farmer's wife tended her various flowerbeds and set her watering can down to watch the Hexling glide up.  
"Can I help you?" the soft orange furred mabu woman asked. She removed her gloves and untied the oversized sun hat she wore before sliding it off her head and placing it atop her basket of gardening tools. She glanced from the staff to the clothing the Skylander wore; it was a little strange to see an undead priestess in her yard. The mabu smiled inwardly at herself, she couldn't blame the poor soul before her for wanting to change how she presented herself to others.  
The Hexling kept her hands at her sides and offered the woman a short bow, "I am Seraphina Reve. I took Mark's dragonet posting a few days ago."  
"Ah," the mabu said as she ran an arm over her forehead, "Go on up to the house. Ring the bell on the porch, he should still be inside. If not check the watermelon patch. He's been obsessing over them the past few days." The mabu waited until Seraphina began to glide down the dirt road again before she reclaimed her hat and gloves. It wasn't an overly hot day but she was working fairly hard in the sun.

Seraphina didn't need to ring the bell, no sooner had she hovered up the three steps that led to the porch did the front door open. The first individual she saw was a blue gremlin Pop Fizzling. She coasted to the side and let him pass along with the farmer right behind him.  
"I may not have much to offer you but I need the help nonetheless. If my crops go south again this year I'm sunk."  
"I will clear out your infestation for you, sir," the gremlin said with a bow.  
That voice was known to the Hexling. "Meilyr?" Seraphina asked with a wrinkled nose and thump of her staff on the wooden porch. It _sounded_ like her brother's personal guard. Surely it couldn't be.  
"Do I know you?" the Fizzling asked as he looked the Hexling over. His back went rigid when he noticed her clothing style and finally the Capricorn pin on her gold trimmed collar. "You cannot be serious," he said before grinning widely. "Princess Seraphina!" The alchemist opened his arms wide and accepted the Hexling's embrace.

"If you are taking quests how come you have not yet made an entry at the hubs?" Seraphina asked once she let her old friend go. She hadn't let her staff go and it made moving around the gremlin's ungainly arms a little difficult. After three tries she finally kept it still and allowed him to move.  
"The lines are impossibly long. You know I could never stay in one place for long," he grinned. A little more insanely than he had intended but unavoidable in his current state.  
"Forgive me," she told Meilyr before turning to the farmer. "The hive is destroyed. I had help; my brother Anicetus Reve aided me in its destruction."  
"Light, you found Ani?" Meilyr jumped into the conversation and cut off the farmer's reply.  
"Yes, please, give me a moment. Poor Mark looks lost and a little put-out at the moment," the Hexling said with a nervous smile.

After affairs were set in order with the farmer Seraphina and Meilyr took a walk through the countryside between farms. The area was overall flat grassland with tiny copses of trees scattered about and a plethora of different species of birds singing and calling from both trees and tall grasses.  
"Long lines or not, Meilyr, if you have been active in Skylands for a year _straight_ without any time locked away on Earth you could have done so much." Seraphina couldn't decide if she wanted to travel with her staff upright or held parallel with the earth. Not using it as a walking stick made it feel awkward to carry.  
The Fizzling's ears drooped and he scuffed his feet as he paced the hovering Hexling. "You want the truth? I was ashamed at what had transpired. For one, look at me. _This_ is who I became? I am automatically judged as insane by anyone that sees me. You try changing a first impression," he sighed.  
Seraphina said nothing, she had her own troubles with the same thing but wasn't about to begin a conversation on who had it worse. "You think your father would have let that change the fact you are his son? What about your brother and uncle, do you really think they would all disown you?"

Meilyr shrugged and kept his eyes down. He kept staring at his huge feet and their thick claws. He'd had a crush on Seraphina when they were kids that never really went away. He felt ashamed at the moment for that fact knowing who he was and who she was before the transformation. Now it seemed to sting that much more; even had she not been betrothed to another she could never see the gremlin the way he wanted her to. Meilyr made a sour face and changed his thoughts as well as the conversation quickly, "My teacher always told me he was glad I was a better swordsman than alchemist. Yet here I am," he raised his arms out, "a copy of Pop Fizz the _alchemist_. I can still hold a sword but have you any idea how awkward it is in this body? I am unbalanced more oft than not. My vision is peculiar at times and these blasted potions certainly are not helping. I have to utilize them, my path wound up being stronger in beast form." Meilyr pulled out a glowing gold potion and held it up to her. "Potent as they are they alter my perception of things. I lose reasoning and act on instinct and primal urges alone. That was the first thing we were taught as swordsmen, to temper our gut feelings with ration." He shook the potion then threw it at a rock, there was a fairly loud explosion and birds scattered in panic at the sound and puff of smoke. "Everything I learned goes out the window when I become that _thing_. It is like being drunk, I am still me just…" he shrugged without knowing how to finish that statement.

The Hexling remained silent for a while as she thought about what to say, finally she settled on the simplest choice. "I met another Pop Fizzling just yesterday," she grinned at how quickly things seemed to be changing, "He comes from north of Meir Valan, the kingdom of Hawk Ridge. Perhaps speaking to him would help you feel more at ease with the events you are unable to change." She glanced to Meilyr, the gremlin simply nodded. "If it makes you feel better I still see you as that dark haired elf with the mischievous light in his eyes."  
Meilyr did smile at that, if barely. "And I still see a regal and stately princess with a will to prove herself capable of doing things without the weight of her family to support her."  
"Come, when I sat with Ani this morning I heard rumors of trolls setting ambush to hapless Skylanders. A group should be gathering to clear them out if you are interested."  
"Just like old times, eh?" Meilyr's smile did grow at the thought and he finally stood up to walk without dragging his feet. "It has been too long since we worked together."  
"That is the Meilyr I know," Seraphina laughed before giving him a quick one-armed hug.


	4. Nearly Whole

**Nearly Whole**

"I don't know what you're expecting but I can tell you it won't be easy." The fascination over finding the mission was led by none other than the _real_ Ignitor still had the gathered group of clones in awe. If it bothered him in the least the Core Skylander certainly didn't show it. The only thing truly proving who he was happened to be the presence of Grandmaster Eon. Kaos's wrath was far reaching and poor Eon was left as nothing but a floating head. He had mobility at least and was more oft than not working very closely with the most fledgling of the Portal Masters. At the moment he seemed content to watch the gathering from behind them to avoid distraction from Ignitor's rally. "We're going to have to pool our efforts and work together. By your base types I can place you in the proper units. Additional skills you possess should be mentioned." The flame spirit extended an arm and pointed to a Flameslingerling toting a sword as well as bow. "Case in point, what's your name lad?"

"James," the green skinned elf replied, his blindfold had been moved into the position of a bandana but nothing else really set him apart from others of his type. He felt compelled to step forward to the front of the group and held his sword point down in front of him.  
"Are you as strong with the blade as you are with the bow?"  
"I possess all of Flameslinger's skill in archery but shone best in swordsmanship before the change."  
"I want you on melee after opening with the other ranged individuals." Ignitor pointed next to the Slam Bamling wearing dagger sheaths on his chest. "If you can conceal those and fool your opponent into closing the distance between you I can see you easily having the upper hand. Even then your strength alone makes you formidable. I want you to play the reluctant opponent to make them ignore your physical build." Ignitor fell silent for a while and brought a gauntleted hand up to what would have been his chin and rest his fist against it. "As we travel I will speak more with each of you to find where you will fit best. I am pleased with this turn out."

"So Ani looks like him?" Meilyr asked Seraphina softly while Ignitor kept speaking about the trolls and their setup.  
"Shh," she shushed him. It wouldn't reflect too well on either of them to be so rude during the Core's speech. "Yes," she answered so soft she thought he might have missed it. She looked up when Ignitor clapped his fist against his breastplate.  
"Very well, follow me then. I have a balloon ready for transport. I hope to see everyone on it for the return trip." Not that their absence would mean death but celebration was always better the day of battle rather than the following day or two.

"One moment, if you please," Eon said softly. With a gentle smile he drifted around to the front of the gathered Skylanders. "I am sorry for the hand fate has dealt you but it gladdens my heart to see you adjusting well and still helping your fellows. I have seen many Skylanders blossom and grow in their new roles; I have seen the same Skylanders bemoan what they have lost. Mostly I see the fires of hope continually stoked within hearts. I am proud of all of you and your Portal Masters. Together you will accomplish anything you set your minds on. One day we will find the answer to Kaos's foul trick." Eon looked to Ignitor and smiled again, "You and my other original Skylanders have done well in recruiting and training new additions. I thank you for being so understanding in the face of adversity."  
Ignitor bowed before Eon and kept his head down as he spoke, "I can hold nothing against those that share my curse. Working with them increases our chances of a quick resolution." His flames were a pale red, almost a blush color when he finally stood back up. "It is an honor to work with all of you," he told the assembled group. "Come, let us make haste and clear these scabrous trolls out for good!"

"There, that's their main camp," a heavy-set Dino-Rangling said after lowering the binoculars he held. He shifted his weight and looked back over the force assigned to him. "Everyone clear on the plan?" He looked over those he commanded, one Shroomboomling, a Hexling, Flameslingerling, two Drobotlings, a Trigger Happyling, a Lightning Rodling and a Zookling.  
"We spread out and attack at once to stir up confusion and make them careless," the bright red and yellow Shroomboomling nodded. He fingered the elastic band of his slingshot and his single eye took on a faraway look as he studied the troll camp.  
"At the moment our attack begins so too does the cavalry charge. We hold our positions in the outer ring, formation does not break and we do not directly engage enemies unless given no choice. Only James is the exception to that rule," Seraphina finished. The cavalry was made up of three Fright Riderlings as well as Ignitor on a reptilian trekker with Meilyr mounted the same followed by a Bashling and Spyroling. Behind them would be infantry consisting of two Slam Bamlings, one Chilling, two Prism Breaklings, three Chop Choplings and an Ignitorling that wasn't comfortable enough to be a rider. Combined with the nine ranged individuals that made twenty five in all against perhaps double that in trolls armed with all sorts of weapons meant for range and accuracy.

"Hope you're not nervous, ladies," the Dino-Rangling grinned to his group.  
"Ladies," one of the Drobotlings snorted and shook his head. "Yeah, I'm ready. We all are, give the order already!"  
The Dino-Rangling held a finger to his lips and his features suddenly seemed to be made of stone before he motioned his group on. Further behind them, tucked behind a rock outcropping and copse of trees was the cavalry. Opposite them the infantry in a natural trench of sort. The Dino-Rangling's over the top hand signal was meant to be seen by both of the other groups to let them know it was beginning. "Good luck," he whispered to the carefully departing Skylanders.

Seraphina glided easily over the grass, her passing made not a sound and there was enough cover in the area to mask her visually from the trolls. The camp seemed lazy; the trolls were busy playing games with live ammunition and were completely unaware of what was encroaching slowly upon their camp. There were no scouts in the outlaying area; the trolls didn't feel the need. At the most it would be five Skylanders traveling together and hardly a match for the numbers and fire power the trolls carried. Besides, in a troll's mind who wanted to be scouting when there were games to be played? The Hexling reached her assigned position quickly and began to count slowly to the designated number. When she reached it she held a hand above her head and cast a phantom orb. It spiraled upwards and winked out when its duration was over and it hadn't made contact with anything. She began casting her strongest skull rain spell as soon as the orb left her hand and by the time she had released the spell so too did the other ranged individuals attack.

At first the trolls thought it was the explosion of dynamite until a carefully place boomerang clocked one upside the head. As expected the trolls watched the weapon's return and focused solely on the Dino-Rangling allowing the Flameslingerling to move into the camp unnoticed. The thundering charge from the cavalry was hard to hear through the noise of trolls yelling and their carelessly strewn about ammunition exploding when ranged attacks hit them. _Trolls can be such thick headed buffoons_, the Hexling thought to herself. They weren't completely incompetent however; some had started to break off into groups to search the wooded area for the hidden Skylanders. Seraphina withdrew into deeper cover; she would let the trolls come to her. Finally it sounded as if they had noticed the cavalry.

Meilyr leaned forward on the back of the brutish trekker he rode to better streamline himself. It felt good to ride again; it had been too long since the last time. His heart was pounding as his reptilian mount quickly closed the distance between them and the trolls. Ignitor led the charge with Meilyr and one of the Fright Riderlings flanking him. Behind them were the two dragons with the final two Fright Riderlings to add balance and offer protection with their halberds.  
"Ready, Meilyr!" Ignitor called to him.  
The gremlin grinned widely and reached back into his enchanted pouch to pull out the potion he needed. It didn't matter which potion he needed, he always had it in stock and could find it without looking. As soon as Ignitor pulled to the left Meilyr lobbed the golden potion at the wall the trolls had set up as a blockade. The gremlin had already pulled out a second and was furiously shaking it before he threw that one too for an even larger explosion. Ignitor waved him on and Meilyr rode at his side. The Fizzling exchanged a nod with Ignitor and the two of them made themselves as small as possible on the backs of their mounts before they exploded through the remains of the barricade.

Trolls screamed as they fled from the enraged trekkers and their riders. What trekker teeth didn't find a blade or potion did. Hot on their heels came the three Fright Riderlings and the two dragons. Fire and stone were added to the fray and further brought confusion to the trolls. A few had gathered themselves enough to grab weapons. The mace wielders went down first, the gun-toting individuals were a little trickier.  
A loud curse escaped one of the Riderlings when his mount stumbled and tossed him after taking a hit from one of the troll blasters. The Bashling rolled up quickly to his side and swung his heavy tail to remove the nearest threat. "You gonna make it?" he asked without looking back to the other Skylander.  
"Yeah," the Riderling winced as he stood. "Sore but I'll be fine." He rubbed his Frightling's beak when the ostrich leaned in close with a soft moan and nuzzle. "Come on Punk," he said to the skeletal bird. "Let's give them a sound thrashing."  
The Bashling grinned and rolled himself up tight before he thundered off to bulldoze trolls and scatter groups.

"Let the riders worry about each other," one of the Chop Choplings yelled as he and the rest of the infantry passed through the ruined barricade. "Watch each other!" he roared before shifting his shield and raising his sword to meet the charge of a mace troll. The troll didn't look so sure of himself suddenly and actually began to turn away before the Chopling's shield impacted him in the back and spun him around again to face the Skylander. The Chopling side-stepped the troll's half -hearted attempt and if he could have, would have grinned when the Chilling used an ice attack to freeze the troll's hand to his mace and mace to the ground.  
"Cool your heels for a while," the female warrior laughed before she spun to face her own advancing opponent.

"The wench is around here somewhere," a large rust colored troll growled to his two companions. The side of his face stung, the last phantom orb she cast left an ugly welt on it that refused to stop burning. She was either running scared or toying with them; the troll hoped it was the former so he could really drive fear into her heart.  
"There!" an olive green troll pointed to a flash of white in the trees. "Dumb broad, wearing white where it can be easily seen," he grinned lewdly. The third troll, with a slightly lighter green skin, pressed forward quickly to the area the elven caster had been seen in. He screamed suddenly when a bone bramble wall erupted at his feet and lift him off the ground. His fellows ignored him and moved around the undead's construct. Phantom orbs came at them fast and furious, the elf was on the move and the trolls adjusted their course to try and head her off.

"Where did she go?" the rusty troll demanded when he and his companion reached a clearing. "This was where she was heading." The olive troll groaned suddenly and fell forward onto the other's legs. With a curse the rusty troll kicked at his friend and turned around to find a giant, ornate skull staring him down. The skull opened its jaws and blasted the troll with condensed energy that brought him to his knees. A moment later and the skull was gone in a puff of smoke. With tremendous effort the troll tried to stand again.  
"No, for now you stay here," a female voice said as the spiked bones sprouted from the ground and enclosed the troll in a cage of them. The Hexling glided out from the trees and stooped to take the discarded weapons. She erected one more bone wall to trap the unconscious troll before she destroyed the weapons with another spell and threw them to the ground.

"You can't possibly expect to rout us all," the troll hissed. His left eye had nearly swollen shut and he could now feel the dirt and grit that had gotten into the wound. Every little grain or bit of leaf felt like a razor blade against his tender flesh.  
The Hexling cocked her head to the side, "What makes you so sure our numbers are not enough?"  
The troll laughed, "We are _everywhere_. There is not an island Kaos doesn't have us watch. You may best those of us on this island but you will never find us all. Skylands will fall to Kaos one way or another."  
Seraphina cracked her staff against the wall of bones and made the troll jump backwards. "Never underestimate the prowess of those fighting to preserve their way of life. You so easily gave into Kaos and abandoned your own ways." Seraphina shook her head, she wanted to ask the troll how long he thought Kaos would let his people destroy the land once it belonged to him but didn't feel like further conversation with the troll. She instead checked the integrity of her bone constructs before she simply turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" the rusty troll snapped.  
"To help the others. Do not worry; I will be back for you. Eventually," she replied without looking back or stopping.  
"Get back here and finish me off like a real warrior, coward!" he shrieked at the Hexling. She did nothing more than hold her hand up before she left him stranded.

Meilyr's trekker screeched as a shot from a troll blaster found his thigh. The trekker began to limp and Meilyr knew he was now at a disadvantage. Without another thought he dismounted and slapped the reptile on the haunches to send him out on his own. A flaming arrow whizzed by the gremlin's ear and dropped a troll that had closed in on him with a raised mace. The Fizzling turned to the direction the arrow had come from and gave a wave of thanks, he kept thinking of Rafer every time he saw an arrow save another Skylander. Were all archers that quick to render aid? Meilyr drew several potions from his pack and slammed them all into the ground. Small purple beakers with legs rushed out to attack nearby trolls. Meilyr began to move as he reached back into his pack again to find the acidic brew and tossed a few of those out to ruin a stockpile of weapons.

"Where is your trekker?" a Riderling asked as he barreled by.  
"Do not worry about me!" Meilyr called after him. He reached back into his pack one more time to withdraw a potion before he popped the cork and drank it. The gremlin increased in size almost instantly and took a far more insane look to him when he did. Meilyr bellowed loudly then dropped down to all fours to bound towards a group of trolls that had taken shelter behind old crates and barrels.

"Look out!" one of the trolls screamed as the furry mass of fists and claws closed in on them. He fired three times at the rampaging beast and all three shots struck the Fizzling but didn't seem to make any change in his charge.  
Meilyr roared and launched himself into the air to crash down on the crates. He grabbed one of the trolls and simply threw him at another that was trying to escape. The two skidded across the ground in a heap of tangled limbs and failed to move afterwards. "Ever wanted flying lessons?" the gremlin asked in a more gravely version of his normal voice.  
"No, please," the troll whimpered as he dropped the large wrench he held. "No, no!" the troll screamed like a little girl when the Fizzling picked him up and threw him.

Ignitor's trekker snorted in confusion when the troll flew over his head. The spirit knight chuckled and spurred his mount on again. Ignitor used his sword only when trolls were near enough but mainly replied upon fireballs to incapacitate them. The rout was going well; the majority of his ranged forces were still atop the rise looking out for the safety of his cavalry and infantry. So far it looked as if he hadn't lost many troops at all; a very promising sign. "Press them hard," Ignitor roared over the chaos. "We have nearly won the day!" Bolts of electricity from the hidden Lightning Rodling seemed to rain down behind him as emphasis and scattered a group of trolls that had tried to unite. With his fires burning a crimson red the knight leaned over the side of his mount and took the mace out of a troll's hands with the swipe of his sword.

The two Slam Bamlings worked wonderfully together. Trolls didn't know which one to engage, all had four arms and one had blades in each hand to extend his reach. The Skylanders worked through movements that almost seemed to resemble a dance, they traded opponents easily and lined them up for their partner to strike down.  
A racing torrent of brambles cut a swath through trolls trying to flee and tripped them up long enough for either the Chopling that had summoned them to engage the enemy or a Fright Riderling to turn them back around.

The Chilling worked with the Prism Breaklings, her blocks of ice perfectly refracted their destructive beams and allowed the trio to clear out wide areas quickly. Even this far into the fray there were still piles of live ammunition to destroy. Doing so also removed trolls from hiding the majority of the time. Even though the trolls had the Skylanders outnumbered the battle was not in their favor.  
The Ignitorling avoided combat if he could; his main objective was to set off the stock piles of munitions the trolls carelessly had strewn about. And boy did he have his job cut out for him, there was _a lot_ of troll weapons to destroy. Most of them were only used in troll games!

In the cavalry, despite the fact they weren't actually mounted, the Bashling and Spyroling were knocking trolls down and running over them easily. The Bashling's hide was smoking but by the dragon's laughter he wasn't feeling a thing.  
"Oh! Another strike!" the Spyroling laughed. "I can only seem to get spares."  
"I will teach you my secrets one day, my student," the Bashling joked when he stopped rolling long enough to catch his breath. Oh the rout was such fun! "Best six out of seven?" he offered.  
"You are _on_!" the Spyroling replied before lowering his head for a charge.

It looked like a dance; the Dino-Rangling was always on the move and his boomerangs always found him no matter where he moved to. "Catch me if you can!" the dinosaur laughed. He pinned a groaning troll under his foot and set a few traps for the advancing trolls. They were so furious and filled with battle-lust that every single trap was set and left wounded or stilled trolls behind. The Rangling snorted and let loose his boomerangs again to finish off the trolls still advancing on him. "Amateurs," he grumbled.

"Help!" the call came from the Trigger Happyling. The poor orange gremlin had been disarmed and was being kicked around by a couple of larger trolls. All he could do was curl himself up to protect his head and organs while the trolls laughed and kicked him like a ball.  
With a flick of his wrist the Rangling sent out a boomerang to each troll. One fell to the blast from the nearby bambazooker before the boomerang could reach it. The Dino-Rangling returned the wave the other Skylander gave him and held his hand up for the returning weapon. The Hexling and Shroomboomling were missing. The two Drobotlings had gone against their orders and were acting as dive bombers over the trolls but were at least unharmed.

Seraphina huddled with the Shroomboomling behind her bone wall and his mushroom ring. The other Skylander was nursing a wounded leg but if he avoided further injury would make it through the battle.  
"Support me on the left," the Shroomboomling winced. "If I can steady myself I'll clear out the fools with you."  
The Hexling released her skull rain and moved next to the mushroom as he requested. "Do not strain yourself," Seraphina warned. "Ignitor wanted us all back to celebrate with him."  
"Aw, you're worried about me? That's so sweet! I'll be fine," he grinned before loading another of his magic spores to fire.  
Seraphina rolled her eyes, the mushroom reminded her a bit of Anicetus and Meilyr rolled into one. She hoped Anicetus would be in a better mood when they met up again.

All at once it seemed to be over; the surrounding trolls went down with a flaming arrow or strikes of lightning. "Thought you could use a hand, milady," the Lightning Rodling said with a bow.  
"Lady, do I look like a lady to you? Need to get your eyes checked, that's what you need to do," the Shroomboomling grinned as he put his hand into the one the Skylander meant for Seraphina.  
"No, you oaf," the Rodling's tone changed instantly. He made a face when the mushroom tried his best to pose like a girl and bat his lashes.  
Seraphina accepted the hand the Flameslingerling offered her and shared a smirk with him over the antics of the other two.

Ignitor whistled as his small force led the last of the trolls in to bind up for transport to a more suitable location. Everyone had made it, some worse for wear but no one had been sent back to Earth to rest. The two Slam Bamlings were exchanging high fives, an amusing scene when they kept forgetting which hands they had not yet used and started over three times before simply calling it quits. "You did well, fellow Skylanders," Ignitor said with flames a soft yellow. "I am pleased to have met all of you and happy to have worked with you. I might come searching for you in the future if I should undertake other similar missions."  
"It's been too long since I worked like this with others. I will gladly join you at any time," the Lightning Rodling said with a bow.  
"Been a blast for sure," the Spyroling grinned.  
"As soon as my wing is repaired my services are yours," one of the Drobotlings said. His robotic wing hung at an odd angle and sent a shower of sparks each time a gear would grind.

Seraphina grinned at Meilyr when they were back on the balloon and resting comfortably. "That was an exciting adventure," she said as she sat down next to the gremlin.  
He glanced to her with a smile, it had been. "Maybe next time you and I will get more of an opportunity to work together. I am anxious to see how battle flows with our new styles." Seraphina rest her head against the balloon's basket, in her current state she almost looked like her old self. Almost, her hair, skin and eyes were the wrong colors and her face shaped slightly different. Meilyr felt a pang as he looked at her, Hex wasn't a bad looking elf but Meilyr found Seraphina's true form much more appealing. The Fizzling closed his eyes and mentally scolded himself, his childish crush should be _over_ by now, she was set to wed a king and he was nothing more than a royal guard.

"Are you okay?" Seraphina asked him softly.  
"Ani should have been there," Meilyr smiled while keeping his eyes closed. "_That_ was a Skylander battle. I feel alive again and accomplished." The gremlin finally opened his eyes. "I do not mind the small quests so much to fill my coin purse and occupy my slow hours. But I miss the adventure."  
"Go home," Seraphina urged him. "Go see your family. Your father asks of you often. You do realize that I cannot lie to him the next time he asks. Meilyr," she looked at him and took him by a blue furry hand, "There is nothing to be ashamed of. My parents welcomed me home with open arms and said not a word about being undead. They were happy to see me. I know it pains them to witness my limitations but they are still there for me. Your brother misses you and you are missing some of the best years of your young nephew's life."  
Meilyr squeezed the delicate hand that held his and looked down at her slim fingers dwarfed next to his thicker digits. "I cannot do it on my own." He was expecting her to chide him or tell him how silly he was but certainly not a squeeze to his hand and her reply.  
"Then I will come with you." The Hexling smiled reassuringly to the Pop Fizzling.

Kaelin directed Stampede carefully through the rubble. The scene baffled him, nothing alive was left. He saw a few burned troll corpses but no signs of movement among them. The lack of any other kind of corpse left him feeling relieved.  
"This was a Skylander assault," Galvin said once he had landed. He ruffled his feathered wings then drew them close to his body. "I saw an area where it looked like they held the trolls and discarded weapons to burn. I think I saw the patch of earth were a prison transport landed."  
"The fires are contained?" all Kaelin could think about was the thick, oily smoke he and Galvin had seen rising from the ship they had bought passage on.  
The Burnling nodded, "Before they left whoever routed the trolls made sure they would not erupt again and scar the rest of the island. If there are still embers burning they are deep in ash and will not burn for long."  
"You saw no one in the area, troll or Skylander?"

Again, Galvin shook his head. "The area is secure. The pilot will be waiting for us as will the other passengers."  
Stampede cooed as if in agreement to Galvin's statement. "Then there is no reason we should hold them up any longer." The Riderling stretched out to pat his Frightling on the head and turned him around. Kaelin was glad to be leaving truthfully, the smell of burning organic matter threatened to make his lungs and nose burn as well.  
Galvin fluttered his wings and drew in a small amount of fresher air with the act. He had thought of flying back to the ship but it would be disrespectful to the elf he had sworn service to for the duration of their banishment.

"Well?" a red scarf wearing Whirlwindling asked. "What did you guys find?" She paced about eagerly on the ship's gangplank and effectively blocked the other Skylanders' access. Her features were pinched; the smell from the fires was just as thick at the ship as it was on site thanks to the wind.  
"A decimated troll camp," Kaelin replied as he dismounted. He took Stampede firmly by the reins; the Frightling didn't get along with most other people and kept his head down low with his skeletal wings raised slightly as he regarded the Whirlwindling. Stampede wouldn't attack but if the other Skylander came any closer he might hiss or screech at her.

"That's the smell?" she nearly gagged as she mentioned it. "_Why_ does it smell like that?"  
Galvin moved up to put himself between Stampede and the other Skylander. Stampede seemed to settle slightly but never took his eyes off the blue unicorn-dragon hybrid. "Burning trolls," Galvin said slowly. He never knew how others might view death and was prepared to show his background as a priest if need be.  
"Schnasty!" the other hybrid squealed in disgust as she threw her head back and fluttered her wings to move the scarf tails back between her shoulder blades. Suddenly the Whirlwindling's ears lowered and her eyes grew wide. "No one else was hurt, where they? Other than trolls?" She was relieved when both Galvin and Kaelin shook their heads. Her eyes had begun to water with the sting of smoke, she noticed the two Skylanders below her already had evidence of tears rolling down their cheeks and decided it was time to move. "That's so wonk that we missed all the action," she commented offhandedly with a flick of her fluffed tail. "Oh, my name's Windy by the way," she finally introduced herself to the returning Skylanders.

"Galvin Killian," the Burnling said with a bob of his head as he boarded the ship. "And this is King Kaelin Alistair of Haven." Galvin wasn't quite sure why he used their proper and full names, it had been a force of habit for him and he never thought twice about it.  
"Ah, a king no more I am afraid. I make for a poor one being banished and all." Kaelin still held onto Stampede, the ostrich was doing better now that there was more space to separate him from strangers.  
Windy froze in mid step and whipped back around with a hop that left all four of her legs out wide to support her, "A king? So honkin' bruce! I didn't know kings could even _be_ Skylanders!" Her blue eyes were wide with excitement as she seemed to see Kaelin in a new light. Her wings very nearly twitched with whatever thoughts were flitting through her mind.

"To be fair when I was recruited I was only a prince. I was almost retired from the Skylanders but obviously had not done so before that fateful day," he grimaced. Kaelin along with everyone else on deck was forced to rebalance when the ship pulled away from the island. After a momentary period of unbalance everyone was one again standing still.  
"I am sorry you were caught up in all of this. But it hasn't been all bad, right?" Windy asked as she sat down on her haunches. The others on deck seemed content to stay in their small groups talking so the blue hybrid had the king and his servant all to herself to question.

"It has been a…cultural experience," Kaelin said as he looked to the unicorn and dragon hybrid. Some of the slang she used was strange to him and possibly learned from one of Earth's many sources.  
Windy grinned broadly, "It's been a blast. You know a lot of Skylanders are all depressed over the banishment. Me? I see it as a new adventure. I am learning _so much_ about Earth cultures and history! It's a whole other world to explore and things are both familiar and alien about Earth. I like it, my Portal Master, Krystal, is the best. I'm only here for times when Krystal is away on errands. This way I can move about and not get bored when there is no other way to entertain myself. You know a chance to stretch my legs a little. But I've made a wonderful new friend. Some Skylanders don't like their Portal Masters much, why I wonder."

Kaelin and Galvin exchanged looks. "My first Portal Master," Galvin began slowly before he took a seat, "did not bond with any of us. My first was a young child who was rough on toys. I saw several of my surrogate family members become dismembered. They no longer spoke to us and the portal no longer registered their presence. I can only assume to destroy the toy form we inhabit is to destroy the life within. We lived in fear after that."  
"Oh," Windy said sadly. Her large eyes watched Galvin for a while. He looked forlorn as he remembered what he had been through and she felt sympathy for the other hybrid. "I am sorry. I guess I've been so lucky I never thought of that. Do you know any friends or family of those Skylanders you…lost?"

"No," the Sunburnling replied softly. "Their families will never know and will always be searching. Even though the news would be horrible it would at least bring them peace and closure." Galvin gave the Whirlwindling a sad smile. "My new Portal Master, Mia, is much better. Though personally I think it is her mother that has bonded more with us. Two Portal Masters in one family, what are the odds?"  
Windy smiled and let the conversation go. She had been lucky and to think some Skylanders didn't have it as good as her sent a chill down her spine.

"Thank you for listening," Galvin said suddenly. "Not the brightest thought to have but thank you for letting me talk about it. It hurts a little less each time and who knows, maybe one day I will find someone that knew them." The Sunburnling was aware of the fact he hadn't mentioned any names or traits of the individuals he saw destroyed but the fact Windy never stopped him during his retelling let him know others were willing to listen.  
"I cannot complain about my Portal Masters," Kaelin said lumping the mother and daughter team together. "They do what they can for us and a kind face in a strange world makes a tremendous difference."  
"You guys seem pretty interesting. Maybe sometime we could all adventure together?" Windy said hopefully.  
Kaelin nodded, "There is always the possibility."  
"How can I contact you?" Windy asked.  
Galvin answered her, "Actually, that is why we are heading to Never-sleep Nexus. We wish to enter our names into the database and increase our search horizons."

Never-sleep lived up to its name; at least at the time Kaelin and Galvin had arrived in the early afternoon hours. The whole island was alive with conversations and every type of Skylander as well as normal Skylands residents wove paths through an endless sea of faces. Ships and balloons left only to be replaced by another. The waxing and waning of persons on the Nexus island never seemed to end. The king and his companion parted ways with Windy for the time being but had the location of her Portal Master's island and knew how to reach out if they needed anything. It never hurt to have ties, no matter how loose they may be, to other Skylanders.

"Maybe we should have tried for one of the smaller hubs," Galvin said in awe when he finally registered the crowds. He and Kaelin were going to get separated in them if they weren't careful.  
"I think I agree," Kaelin smirked as he tried to calm Stampede. "Easy there old friend. You will be fine." The ostrich squawked as he danced from foot to foot. "If we become separated just keep moving. So long as one of us makes an entry it is a step in the right direction. I do not think Stampede is going to agree with this location at all." Kaelin couldn't blame him; he had rescued the poor creature from troll captors when he was barely older than a hatchling. It had taken nearly a year to get the bird to trust him; he never did take to his father and still hissed at his mother if he wasn't shying away from her. Kaelin hadn't the slightest idea how Seraphina and Galvin had gotten him to warm up to them so quickly.

Galvin had thought he'd seen the flash of a Meir Valan clergy robe in the crowd and had gone still as he stared at the location it had been. He found nothing, no re-emergence of it further in the direction the figure should be traveling nor a flash in the area he had first seen it. He saw Kaelin giving him a questioning look and told the Riderling what had his attention. "As far as I know it was only Seraphina and I from the clergy that became Skylanders."  
Kaelin too began to search the crowd and as if he could sense his rider's excitement Stampede seemed to completely ignore the throng around him and stood stock still. "Which direction did you see her?" Kaelin urged, even he was beginning to believe it had been Seraphina.  
Galvin tilted his head towards the commerce section of the Nexus, away from the banks of terminals. "If you would like to chase a shadow I will go to the terminals."  
Kaelin pulled rein on Stampede and looked as if he was going to follow Galvin's hunch. "No," he said while still searching the crowd. "No, the terminals are concrete and solid. Proof of others is what we need; proof of our own return allows them to find us. I cannot afford to chase a ghost when a way to aid us even when we are not here is at my fingertips."  
Galvin strode past him, his fiery colored tail feathers trailed out behind him and it wasn't until Kaelin nearly lost sight of his friend did he start to move towards the terminals himself. Kaelin glanced over his shoulder one last time; he still couldn't shake the feeling that he had missed her. But if it wasn't her and his connection to Skylands was severed again he would have to make the travel to the Nexus all over again next time.

"I simply do not know how I should feel," Meilyr was saying to Seraphina with his eyes wide and jaw slack. "I never expected to see my father _tonight_," he put his hands out in front of him. He didn't even expect his father to be nearby when Seraphina hailed her own family.  
"You worry too much!" the Hexling laughed. "You are being invited to Grandmaster Eon's abode for a celebration of our small victory. You are being given the chance to mingle with the Core Skylanders and you are getting a much needed reunion with family."

The Fizzling still couldn't get his father's expression out of his thoughts. His father was Avon De'clan, captain of Meir Valan's army and he had openly wept when Meilyr finally showed himself. It wasn't because Avon didn't recognize his son or was ashamed of him; it was because he had finally found him after two years of unanswered questions and worries. It seemed that no matter how old Meilyr was he was still his father's child. The gremlin went to rub at an itch under his eye and was reminded that his fur was still damp from his own tears. Meilyr hadn't even realized they were falling until he had sniffled. He had cried in front of the princess, he might as well turn in his man card for that, or however that Earth saying went. "What is expected of us?" Meilyr asked at last.  
"The same as would be expected of you at any royal function at home," Seraphina replied. "Leave the potion knap-sack in your locker. Do you have a locker? I will help you get one if not. We have time if you want to see what we can do to make you look more… formal."  
Meilyr rolled his eyes and purposely walked with a waddle, "You think you can make this look 'more formal'? Ha!"  
"I think you are going to want to look comfortable in your skin because I also invited Anicetus. If my dear brother is in the mood for being social, that is."

"Ani," Meilyr stopped in his tracks. He ran a hand through the slightly longer blue fur on the top of his head. "Oh I will never hear the end of it. He will be in stitches over my new look."  
The Hexling turned around and glided backwards a few paces before she too stopped. "Just remind him of the time he drank that potion that turned his hair bright pink," Seraphina said with a grin.  
Meilyr laughed, "And all this time he thought you had not noticed. Or were too mature to say something."  
"You were doing a good enough job ridiculing him over it, I remember. Keep that in mind if he gives you trouble over being a Fizzling."  
"Right," Meilyr said as he looked down at his wiggling toes. "I need your help badly," he admitted. "Help me look as similar to my old self as possible. Something to help my father recognize me from a distance."


	5. A New Element

**A New Element**

"Well, it is far better than I would have come up with," Meilyr commented on his reflection. First Seraphina had taken him to a barber to tame his wild fur then against his better judgment she brought him into a salon for a 'claw treatment' which was to say a manicure and pedicure. As ridiculous as the gremlin felt it did help make him feel less like a heathen. Now he was looking over the partial armor a blacksmith happened to have made for another Fizzling that couldn't afford the final price tag.  
"Does it please you?" the blacksmith asked. As a yeti is was odd to see him work so closely with fire but he seemed at home in the forge.

Meilyr adjusted the left hand gauntlet, that whole arm was covered by steel that held barbs for defense. Both of his shoulders were covered as where his shins, knees and elbows. It was undoubtedly for another Fizzling that had gone down the beast path as he had. "What happens when I transform?"  
"I used enchanted steel; the armor will change with you! Go on and try it," the yeti grinned while folding all four of his arms in front of him.  
"No need to ask me for permission," Seraphina held her hand up when Meilyr looked to her for an answer. "He wants to make sure you are satisfied with it first."  
"Shall we move to a more open area to test it?" the gremlin asked nervously. The interior of the yeti's shop would quickly become a nightmare when Meilyr transformed.  
"The forge is out back. Come, come! I am eager to see how you like it!"

An open area of dirt and some paving stones held all of the blacksmith's tools of the trade. The Fizzling purposely moved away from the forge and worktable to the area that held only fuel for the fires. "Bottoms up," the gremlin shrugged before he popped a cork and downed the brew. As Meilyr increased in size the armor changed with him, the steel turned black and the rounded knobs on the plate that covered his knees and elbows turned to spikes. The left shoulder pauldron spread out to cover nearly all of his chest and back. The open ended gauntlets produced spikes on the backs of his hands that would make punches more lethal. "Dangerous armor," Meilyr commented as he looked it over. "Very well made. It moves perfectly with me." As he spoke the Fizzling moved and stretched in all the ways he could think he would in battle. "Why did the original client back out?"  
"The price," the yeti said slowly. "Five thousand gold."

Meilyr's ears stood straight up and he turned wild eyes on Seraphina as he forced himself to revert to normal. "I cannot," he began.  
"I will pay, if you are pleased Meilyr?"  
Without a word Meilyr walked back into the shop and stood in front of the mirror. An elf no more but he at least looked like a royal guard. He wanted to impress his father, he wanted his father to be proud of what he had accomplished but he couldn't have Seraphina pay for the armor. Now Anicetus was another story but the prince wasn't there.  
"Come Meilyr," the Hexling called from the door, "our time draws short."  
"I am sorry," Meilyr turned to the blacksmith. "I cannot afford," he paused upon seeing the pouch of gold the yeti held.  
"Your lady friend took care of it for you, lad. The armor is yours."

Meilyr left feeling both pleased with his armor and guilty over it. The princess shouldn't have needed to buy it for him but Meilyr was grateful for it. That was why his childish crush wouldn't go away. Every time she did something for him out of the kindness of her heart Meilyr was reminded why he admired her so much. She would make a wonderful queen for Kaelin, Haven was a lucky kingdom. "Only four of us have yet to be found?" the gremlin asked as his train of thought led him down that path.  
"Eloryn, Galvin, Kaelin and Niall," Seraphina nodded. "I at least know Kaelin is a Riderling."  
Meilyr groaned and ran a gauntleted hand over his eyes, "Is that insufferable war bird with him?"  
The Hexling giggled, "Yes I saw Stampede."  
"Wonderful," Meilyr sighed. The funny thing was he still preferred the orniteryx that bit him to the priest Niall.

As the sun set things began to come together quickly and Meilyr was reunited with Lady Teranika and Sir Rafer. Rafer was assigned to Seraphina as her royal guard and his presence meant Meilyr was no longer her acting guard. Meilyr didn't let it dampen his spirits; he was going to the celebration as an honored guest rather than an invited one.  
"You look lovely," Teranika was saying to Seraphina. Once again the Hexling was dressed as a princess in an emerald gown with silver accents and her hair curled and pulled up into a cascading fountain at the back of her head. The Stealth Elfling herself had dressed as the lady in waiting she was to accompany Seraphina. Teranika's hair was naturally curly but as a Stealthling she had straight and had opted to roll her braid up into a bun. Her gown was a cream sort of color with white accents; it went well with Seraphina's emerald one.

"You seem to have settled well," Rafer said to Meilyr as he grasped the Fizzling's arm near the elbow in greeting. "It is good to see you."  
"I am not surprised at all at the Skylander you became," Meilyr told him as he took the Flameslingerling by the arm. Rafer always did have an aversion to formal wear and it must have been Teranika's insistence that had him dressed in an embroidered coat and tailored slacks. The Flameslingerling's bow was missing but he did have a sword at his side, the weapon would be permitted only because of his status as a royal guard. He even wore his hair like he usually did; the part from the temples up was tied back while the rest was left loose. Meilyr could easily see the elf he used to be through the face he was cursed to wear. Some were luckier than others it seemed. Meilyr stepped back to look at the couple when Teranika linked her arm with Rafer's. To have found each other on Earth and in Skylands was a feat he was impressed by. "The ship should be arriving soon," Meilyr said suddenly before he turned back around. He and Seraphina had scheduled pickup from Teranika and Rafer's Portal Master's island. There were other Skylanders present watching the two newcomers carefully as was the holographic image of their Portal Master. Meilyr must have been looking at him for too long because the human's image drifted up to them.

"I'm guessing you're Seraphina," the Portal Master said to the Hexling.  
"_Princess_ Seraphina," Rafer and Meilyr corrected him at once.  
The human grinned, "Yeah, yeah." Teenagers of any species always thought they knew everything apparently. "Anyway, it's really cool to meet a princess. Never thought I'd ever meet a celebrity of any kind."  
Seraphina gave him a polite smile, "I would hardly call myself a celebrity. But it is an honor to meet you, Sam," she nodded to the human.  
"Tera's told me a lot about you. She said she's your cousin and lady in waiting which is something like a servant the way she explained it. She isn't royalty?"  
Seraphina laughed, it flattered her that the Portal Master was interested in the hierarchy of royal families but now was hardly the time for it. She could see a ship bearing Grandmaster Eon's flag approach. "Royalty is the highest class of nobles, the ruling family. Teranika's mother is a baroness and my own mother's sister. They are nobility and our custom usually has nobles that assist in the daily routines of the royal family. Teranika goes through the same lessons I do but custom denotes she aid me as an assistant for errands. As a noble woman a prince can still marry her and raise her to the status of princess. Although he would have to go through her husband first," Seraphina grinned at Rafer.

"Also it is not that she ever treats me as a lady in waiting," Teranika smirked. "Seraphina always did want to do things herself and said making me do it for her was hardly proper for someone of her station. Her sister would say she had it all backwards. I believe her parents were amused over it."  
The human's face lit up as he thought of what it would be like to have a servant. "No chores must be the life! I _hate_ taking out the trash and mowing the lawn. So many _weeds_."  
"Your 'chores' are replaced with meetings between allied nobles and trying to help your citizens settle their disputes with neighbors over property and land. There is also the fact that your parents will most likely decide who it is that you marry all for the sake of politics and strengthening alliances."  
Sam made a face at the princess's statement, he had his taste in dates and his parents had theirs. He was sick of hearing how nice a girl so-and-so's daughter was and why wasn't he dating her rather than who he currently was.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Sam," Seraphina said with a slight bow to the Portal Master. Her action took his other Skylanders by surprise, what was a princess doing bowing to someone without any noble blood? "Thank you for keeping my cousin and royal guard safe during these trying times."  
"Ey, no problem! They're some of my best and most effective Skylanders. Your Portal Master know of the exchange forum?" Sam asked. He glanced at Eon's ship as it finally docked and knew the quartet would be setting out soon.  
"Yes," Seraphina nodded. "I expect one day he may speak with you about Teranika and Rafer."  
Sam nodded; so long as her Portal Master had trades worth making he might consider it. Sam understood the plight of the Skylanders but he also understood the trade of rare types for currency. Hey, he was a teenager trying to avoid getting a job but still wanted to make money. "Enjoy your stuffy party," Sam grinned with a wave.

"Can either of you explain to me why you became so quiet?" Teranika asked as she strode ahead of both her husband and Meilyr.  
"Is she mad?" Meilyr asked Rafer.  
"No, dogs go mad with rabies. The Skylander you are based off of is mad. Teranika is angry."  
Meilyr looked back to Seraphina, "Over _what_?" He watched Seraphina shake her head just barely as she glided up to her cousin. "What?" Meilyr whispered to Rafer.  
"Sam upset Tera over his ignorance of what their status meant and because neither of us spoke up to defend the honor of her or Seraphina _we_ will get the cold shoulder instead of Sam."  
"Is Seraphina ma-, um upset?" Meilyr purposely slowed his pace so the two women could board the ship well ahead of them.  
"No, she is simply trying to soothe Teranika's perceived slight."

Meilyr rubbed at his eyes, "This night is off to a lovely start so far. I just found the three of you after two years and I have already put my foot in my mouth."  
Rafer placed a hand on Meilyr's armored shoulder, "Tera and I have argued over simple things quite often. It is frustration over having such limited freedom. Try not to take it personally but do make the effort to apologize or she will stew longer."  
"She never used to be like that," Meilyr commented offhandedly.  
"I tell myself it is a temporary adaptation into being more like Eloryn."  
Meilyr groaned and dropped his voice as the two of them neared the end of the plank and the ship's deck, "I simply cannot w_ait_ until we find the second princess."

Teranika closed her eyes and inhaled deeply once she had crossed the deck to the far side of the ship and leaned against the railing. There were a smattering of other Skylanders present and a few warmly greeted Seraphina and commented on the surprise of learning who she really was. Portal Masters were present as well and a few greeted the princess upon introductions from their Skylanders. Seraphina exchanged her pleasantries as quickly as politely possibly then joined Teranika.

"Meilyr seems to try and avoid Portal Masters. I could not get him to speak about his much. For once I would say try not to hold it against him. I think maybe he has a language barrier making things much more difficult."  
"There was no excuse for Sam, both of them simply stood there letting us try to explain our culture to a boy that only saw the luxury." Teranika absently tried to sweep a lock of hair behind her ear when the wind blew a little harder before she remembered it was all restrained.  
Seraphina nodded as she leaned on the railing herself. "It is a culture shock for all involved. There are things our Portal Masters do that we do not understand just as they do not understand all that we do. A balance will be found soon, have faith cousin."

"See, _that_ is the real reason your parents let you train as a priestess," the Stealthling grinned, "you were stripped of your title as princess while an apprentice and went through things any normal entrant would. It has made you more sympathetic to the plight of the normal citizens. A well-rounded princess makes for the most compassionate and fair queen."  
The Hexling clasped her hands and stared out into the visible jet stream of clouds racing by below the ship. "I can only hope, Tera, that I will live up to the standards everyone has set for me. At the moment I care for nothing more than finding all that I have lost. Kaelin the most." Seraphina gripped the railing for a moment when the ship began to pull away from the island at last.  
"You are not worried about Eloryn?"  
Seraphina allowed herself to smile, "Not at all. It is her Portal Master I worry for." That thought made both the women laugh.

The night air was cool and the majority of the Skylanders on Eon's ship had retreated below decks with the few present Portal Masters. Meilyr was on deck still now joined by Anicetus who had accepted the invitation his sister sent him as well as transport on the flagship. The deck of the ship was barren, the stern held a few talking Skylanders but the area between it and the bow where Anicetus and Meilyr stood was empty. The two friends had been quiet after the brief catch up session; it was Anicetus to finally break the silence.  
"Your Portal Master did not wish to join you?"  
Meilyr shook his head, "She had her own appointments. I think at least, she speaks in a very broken form of the language." The Fizzling shrugged, "it can be hard to understand her and frustrating for us all."  
Anicetus smirked, "I did not even bother telling Issac where I was going. He means well but it was not my place to invite him to a function I was invited to only because of my ties to participants."  
"Do you ever wonder why you became the swordsman you are and not say, a Chop Chop-type?"  
"I know why I am an Ignitorling," Anicetus shook his head. Meilyr simply looked at him for more, he hadn't figured it out. "Father always told me I had a fiery temper. Even if the real Ignitor does not look this way because of his temper it illustrates mine well."

"Does that mean I am mad?" Meilyr questioned with his back straight.  
"Always have been," Anicetus said with his flames a bright yellow. Meilyr snorted and shoved Anicetus, the prince stumbled and nearly fell with the force used but laughed heartily anyway. "I have missed getting into trouble with you. Some royal guard you are, you always encouraged me!"  
"That is what we get for growing up together," Meilyr grinned widely.

The ship rocked gently with a buffet of wind as they crossed a jet stream, the occupants below deck adjusted accordingly and the turbulence was over swiftly.  
"Why didn't your Portal Master come, Seraphina?" the Dino-Rangling she now knew to be named Cory asked.  
"Sean said he would meet me there, he had work on his island that needed his attention a little longer before he could join me." Seraphina rather liked Cory; he reminded her a lot of the elf she and her siblings had dubbed their 'second father', Commander Roghallach Tierney of her father's army.  
"Good, it would be a shame if he missed this," the Rangling gave a toothy grin. He, one of the Slam Bamlings and the Chilling were all from the same Portal Master. He kept fussing over the decorative armor plate he had purchased and looked uncomfortable in it.

"You seem to treat the armor as foreign," Rafer said as he sat down next to Teranika at the table she was seated at with Seraphina and the other Skylander. The Flameslingerling handed off a drink to both of the ladies at the table. He and Cory would have to get up for their own.  
"Nah, armor itself is not foreign but this plate is not as fitting as I would like. Ah well, time was limited and it was all they had available in my size. It will do though if I plan to make a habit of working with Cores I should invest in a good suit."  
"How did it feel to work a genuine mission again?" Teranika asked excitedly. Combat had never been her strong point and anything she had been through as a Stealthling was new to her. She held her cup of tea near her lips but had yet to take a sip.

Cory sat back in the chair and ran a clawed finger against the base of a red spike on his head. "I've missed it, I can tell you that much. And while it was a minor mission it felt invigorating. Anything we can do to slow down Kaos's armies is a step in the right direction."  
"I missed the large teams," Seraphina said after setting her cup back down. "I have done so much solo work I had almost forgotten how it felt to collaborate. And Meilyr held his own, I was impressed. He has maintained what little discipline he has," she smirked before taking another sip.  
"Meilyr," the Dino-Rangling murmured as he thought about who she meant. "The Pop Fizz-type? He was impressive from the stories I am hearing."  
Rafer gave a quick nod, "He is a trained swordsman and royal guard to Seraphina's brother, Prince Anicetus. Empty-handed combat is new for him but I am impressed to hear how well he did."

"I find myself wishing to work with all of your friends, Princess," Cory laughed.  
"As soon as we can work together ourselves then that will be possible," Seraphina promised.  
"I'll hold you to that," Cory smiled to her.

By the time the flagship arrived on Eon's island a storm had rolled in. The Grandmaster's island was untouched by the roiling clouds below it but the air had been chilled a great deal. The departing passengers weren't prepared for the cold and ladies hiked up skirts to dash across the lawn and into the entrance foyer of the mansion.  
"Oh!" Hugo, Eon's mabu assistant fretted as guests began to file in. "Please, please, _please_ make sure you aren't going to track in mud! Has the storm hit yet?" He waded out through Skylanders and Skylands residents alike to check the weather. The wind had picked up and it chilled the outdoors but Hugo saw no rain even though his nose told him it was there.

A multitude of ships were awaiting the chance to dock and unload their passengers, most were carrying guests of the honored individuals of Ignitor's party. A few of the other ships happened to be carrying Core Skylanders. Hugo wondered how it would be with originals mingling with copies. He watched Eon's flagship move around to the private dock and allow the first of the waiting ships to pull to port. The rumble of thunder brought Hugo's eyes upwards but all he saw there were bright stars with very thin scuttling clouds scattered about sparsely. The mabu pushed his glasses back up his nose before he looked behind him into the citadel, there were servers flitting about to help welcome the party-goers so he could afford to watch those that had not yet entered for signs of muddy feet. Hugo could never be too careful with Skylanders; he knew all too well how some would come fresh from battle into a formal gala with travel worn feet and everything. "It never stops, does it?" he asked himself with a sigh.

"Oh, wow," the Chilling said as she brushed a lock of pale hair from her eyes. She looked out of sorts in an evening gown rather than armor but seemed comfortable enough in heels. "This place is… something else!" The ceiling was grand and extended a full three stories above their heads to a skylight that sparkled with crystal accents. The far side of the room held a grand arch with enormous doors that currently were open to show Eon's library. Spread almost like wings over the door were two staircases that folded in a zigzag pattern as they climbed up to landings on the second and third floors. The stairs were currently blocked by tables of refreshments as well as decorative plants and servants stood in front of other doors that lined the foyer as a means of letting guests know where they were supposed to remain.

"Feels like home," Teranika said with a smile as she wrapped her arm around Rafer's and tugged him closer.  
"We should make an effort to travel back there one day. Perhaps we can plan something through our Portal Masters to allow it," Seraphina said as she turned back around. Her face lit up as a few familiar figures dressed in soft grey gowns entered. "Morwen, Amara!" the princess called to the ladies that had just entered with an escort of Avon De'clan and his brother, Rafer's adoptive father, Carwyn De'clan.  
Amara Caley was Seraphina's second lady in waiting; Morwen Gillespie was Teranika's sister and one of Eloryn's ladies in waiting. Amara was a reddish-purple haired maiden with metallic champagne skin and Morwen was a raven haired maiden with a slightly darker metallic straw tone. Carwyn and Avon looked a lot alike save for Avon having metallic copper-like skin with light hair and Carwyn having metallic champagne skin with dark hair. Both were dressed in parade armor, which was to say it was highly decorative but useless for combat.

The two entering elven maidens lift their dresses and darted quickly to Seraphina and Teranika for a warm greeting before turning to include Rafer. "Oh it is good to see you again; it seems like so long since last time!" Morwen said to her sister with a smile. It was still difficult looking into Stealth Elf's face and knowing that was her sister but Morwen wasn't going to give up on her just because of the strangeness of it all. "Still no luck with finding the others? Where _are_ Meilyr and Anicetus?"  
"They are lingering about in the lawn I believe," Seraphina replied while making eye contact with Avon. "Meilyr is worried, Captain, that he has become less than he was."  
Avon scowled, "He is still my son, no matter what skin he wears." The elf pinched the bridge of his nose then nodded to himself as if he had reached a decision. "I will wait for him to approach me, then."

"My parents did not come?" Seraphina asked sadly. Part of her knew they might not be able to attend but she had hoped they would. All they needed was Eloryn and it would have felt like old times again. At that thought the princess found herself once more wondering whose face her sister now wore.  
"They had other matters to attend to, I am sorry," the dark haired Carwyn said with a bow. "They send their regards however and stress how proud they are of you and your brother for your will to press forward." He returned the smile the princess gave him then turned away from Rafer to survey the room. "It is an honor to be here; never had I thought I would set foot in these famous halls."  
"Meir Valan's palace is grander," the prince's voice said suddenly behind the group. "Greetings Captain Avon, Carwyn," the Ignitorling said with soft yellow flames and a bow. Anicetus's armor had been polished until it shone and only seemed to make his flames seem that much brighter. Anicetus exchanged quick hugs with Amara and Morwen before he stepped to the side. Behind him with downcast eyes stood the Fizzling Meilyr. To see him dressed for battle and suddenly bashful made an odd sight. Avon didn't care and stepped around Anicetus to take his son by the shoulders.

"I have missed you so much," Avon said with a soft squeeze to the polished plates that covered Meilyr's shoulders. Finally he coaxed his son's gaze upward enough to smile at him. "It is good to see you again, Meilyr."  
The Fizzling shrugged and gave a forced sort of smile, "If this counts as seeing me."  
"I would recognize you no matter what you looked like. That light in your eyes will never change, Meilyr."

With all the guests now present the foyer and library beyond were fairly full. Seraphina had left her Portal Master to mingle with her friends as she drifted through the crowd and accepted the congratulations that came from Skylanders, Portal Masters and residents she didn't know. She kept forgetting that she and those with her during Ignitor's raid wore an identifying mark, hers a pendant that hung around her delicate neck. She also passed Skylanders bearing Eon's identifying mark; they were the Cores and the true owners of most of the faces she saw in the room. She was surprised when the real Rider stopped her by way of bowing before her.

"I had heard there was a princess about but I hardly dared to believe it until I saw you with my own eyes. It is a pleasure to meet you my dear." He held his hand out and when Seraphina placed hers in it after a curtsy he kissed it lightly. "Might I inquire your name?"  
"Seraphina Reve," she replied with a smile as she retracted her hand when he let it go. The face before her was also the face Kaelin wore and it confused her so much. She had just met the _real_ Rider, how was it going to feel to greet Kaelin now once she found him?  
Rider's eyebrows rose, "Oh! The eldest princess of Meir Valan! It is an honor to hold company with you. I remember attending a jousting tournament in your kingdom four years ago. You are the lovely blonde daughter of King Hayden are you not?"  
Seraphina curtsied again, "I am. I remember that tournament as well. You were very impressive."  
"It wasn't easy," Rider chuckled, "you have some very skilled jousters in your kingdom. But it was a wonderfully pleasant stay. Your citizens are very polite and kind, it reflects well on the leadership of your king and queen." Seraphina smiled, it always made her proud of her parents to hear others compliment them. "Now, my dear, I understand you are a high ranking member of the clergy in the Order of Light? What inspires a princess to take such a path?"

Seraphina got the distinct feeling Rider was showing an interest in her. She would speak with him a while longer and find a way to work her betrothal in, he had just asked her about being a priestess and it was through that training she had met Kaelin. The Core was very polite at least, it should be fairly easy to carry a civil conversation with him and not make him feel like she was rubbing the fact in his face.

Ox watched the two strange Skylanders depart the balloon and rose from his game of stones with Herc to greet them. The Chopling carried a lantern with him to fend off some of the dark, the wind kept blowing out the lamp posts around the island and everyone had simply gotten tired of relighting them. "Can I help you?" he asked the Riderling and Sunburnling. The Frightling hissed at him and shifted from foot to foot before the Riderling pat the ostrich's head and whispered something to him. The bird squawked and shook his head but let his rider move ahead of him without any further movements.

"I am Kaelin Alistair," the Riderling introduced himself. "My companion is Galvin Killian. I ask you to forgive Stampede, he is nervous around new faces."  
"Ox," the Chopling hooked a thumb back to himself, he didn't care to give his last name. He studied the Riderling for a moment before the name registered. "By the light! You're the one Seraphina has been searching for!"  
"Is she here?" Kaelin's expression was anxious, eager and nervous all at once.  
"No, lad, she's attending a function on Grandmaster Eon's island. Please, come with me," Ox turned to lead the Skylanders back to the commons and a place to sit out of the wind. He had walked a few paces before he realized the others weren't following him. Kaelin was talking animatedly with the Burnling and the hybrid seemed to be agreeing with whatever he heard. "Wait, before you run off to hail that balloon back," Ox pointed to the one they had departed as it drifted out into the night sky, "You aren't getting on that island without an invitation and certainly not without a ship that has gained clearance. Come with me and I can help you acquire both."

Herc rose to his feet as Ox led the two travelers back to the table they had been playing at. "Who've you got there?" the giant asked.  
"Good news for Princess Seraphina," the Chop Chopling's tone said he was smiling. "Kaelin just found the island."  
The Crusherling's face split into a wide grin, "Well I'll be," he laughed. "Imagine that. You missed her, son. And you, what's your name my boy?" he pointed to the hybrid.  
"Galvin, sir," the priest replied. "A friend of Sera's."  
Herc nodded, "Well the good news is you're in the right place. The bad news is it's the wrong time."

"Give me a moment," Ox excused himself before he headed towards the lair building. He vanished within and left the travelers with Herc.  
"Normally by this time we're back on Earth resting. Tonight though our Portal Master is attending the function with Seraphina."  
"What function?" Kaelin inquired.  
"Nothing fancy, in these times celebrating even minor victories can help raise spirits and motivate others that had fallen on apathy. Seraphina was part of the true Ignitor's team during a troll rout today. They removed a threat to visiting Skylanders and her residents."  
"That was the destroyed camp we found," Galvin exclaimed. "If only we had been a few minutes earlier…"  
"I could have found her," Kaelin finished. Stampede groaned and rest his head on his rider's shoulder. Kaelin absently stroked the bird's skull and looked to Herc. "How is she?"  
The Crusherling smiled and sat back down so the two smaller Skylanders didn't have to crane their necks to speak with him. "Strong, determined and very positive. She still smiles unlike others I know." He looked up as the sound of the lair door closing drifted over the breeze. Ox trotted up quickly to the group.

"Here," the Chopling said as he handed over two envelopes. "These were invitations Seraphina gave to the rest of us for the function. We felt we didn't belong; it was her night to shine. You'll find more use of them now."  
Kaelin nearly dropped the envelopes; this was the closest he had been to finally being reunited with the woman he loved. "Thank you," he said soft enough for the wind to nearly drown out. "Thank you very much, Ox and…?" he looked to the Crusherling.  
"Herc," the giant smiled back.  
"Thank you, Ox and Herc."  
"We've found you a balloon to get you to the island. I know a ship travels faster but it was the best we could manage on such short notice. The balloon's application for clearance to land is being processed as well so hopefully by the time you reach the check point you'll be able to land. If not, you know where we are lad and she first arrives in Skylands at sunrise."

Galvin looked to Kaelin; the king was entranced by the invitations and hadn't seemed to hear. "Our time in Skylands is sporadic; if we miss her tonight it could possibly be another week before we are able to return. Please, let her know we have found her and have made entries on the mabu network so she can find all she needs about us. Thank you again, gentlemen," Galvin said with what passed as a bow for the dragon hybrid.

Even the admission she was betrothed didn't shake Rider from Seraphina's side. She wasn't quite sure how to separate herself from the elf so she brought him to meet her friends and present family. The Core Skylander seemed genuinely intrigued by the group and had no trouble sparking conversations with her brother and Meilyr as well as Captain Avon and Carwyn. Even the other ladies found themselves charmed by the jouster.

"I think he is simply a social individual, Sera," Rafer was laughing after she told him her worries. "I have seen Rider respect both yours and Tera's ties to a significant other. You are reading too much into it." He took her empty glass and set it on the tray of the server circling for that purpose.  
"Light I have never been so scared before in my life, even when facing down certain doom," she smiled weakly. Seraphina missed the glass Rafer had taken; it gave her something to do with her hands other than fidget with her dress.  
"I remember the time you were annoyed with suitors rather than scared by the prospect." Rafer reached out to take the Hexling gently by the wrist, he let her go when she realized she had been doing what she wanted to avoid.  
"I miss Kaelin so much," Seraphina sighed as she clasped her hands at her waist, "and I dread hearing that line 'what if you never find him?' from someone trying to instill doubt in my mind."  
Rafer draped an arm around the Hexling and gave her a tight hug. "You found him once; you know you can do it again. Do you worry this much about your sister? Did you worry this much about any of us?"

"No," Seraphina blinked in surprise when she realized she hadn't. "I do not understand why it is different for Kaelin. Is it because I feel he was taken from me when I did find him?"  
"Perhaps. But in any event, Princess, I insist you pick your mood up and enjoy yourself tonight. You made Skylands safer for us all." Rafer swept into a bow before her, "May I have the first dance of the evening?" he asked when other couples began to trickle out to take advantage of the musicians playing to one side.  
"You may, so long as you promise the last is saved for my dear cousin," Seraphina smirked as she placed her hand in his.

"They have the right idea," Morwen said as she watched Rafer lead Seraphina out to dance. "Rider, would you do me the honor of a first dance?"  
"Morwen!" Teranika laughed at her sister's flip on tradition.  
The Core Skylander gave Morwen a smile and bow, "Of course, Lady Morwen. It would please me to share this first dance with you." He took the raven haired elf by the hand and led her out to join the sweeping motions of other couples.  
"And you, dear daughter-in-law, would you care to dance?" Carwyn asked with his hand out for Teranika.  
"But of course," she smiled as she slipped her hand into his upturned one.

"Why am I _always_ stuck as the lone wolf?" Meilyr grumbled.  
"Well fine, Meilyr, if you are going to forget I am still around," Amara said sternly from behind the gremlin. She wore a smile as she said it even if the Fizzling missed it when he cringed, let his ears droop and tried to shy away from what he thought was a furious woman. "Oh honestly," the lady in waiting rolled her eyes.  
"Um, I know it doesn't work quite as well but may I have this dance?" Sean asked the elf quietly.  
"Of course," Amara curtsied to him. "And we can make this work, follow my lead and from there I will follow you," she smiled at the Portal Master. Amara directed him to hold his hand up and she placed her palm against it, it would at least give the illusion that they danced together.

"_Now _we are the lonely bachelors," Anicetus elbowed Meilyr.  
"Speak for yourselves, lads," Avon laughed. "She may not be present but I have my lovely wife."  
"Why did mother not come?" Meilyr asked. "Wait, never mind," he answered his own question when he remembered his father telling him she was sick and in no condition to travel. "I promise to return home soon to see her and Lorcan," Meilyr told his father.  
"We will hold you to that," Avon nodded.

As the night progressed accolades were presented to both Skylander and Portal Master alike for their roles in the successful troll mission. It was a matter of courtesy to honor the Portal Masters even if none had taken part in the movement themselves, only allowed their Skylanders the opportunity. Eon had been in and out the whole night, as nothing more than a spirit at times he felt his guests were unsettled and chose to make appearances randomly rather than become a fixture. It was a few hours after the brief ceremony that guests began to trickle out, in the case of non-Skylanders the hour was late and they had worn themselves out. In the case of Skylanders and their Portal Masters events on Earth required their attention. Sean remained with Seraphina, none of her group was ready to part yet and he wasn't about to disrupt the scene before him. Sean could tell the night was wearing on; he was tired and felt heavy. The connection to Skylands felt real enough to him even if he couldn't interact with the environment. He knew his body was sitting in a chair back on earth and it was his mind alone that had made the travel but he was tired nonetheless.

"You have treated her well."  
Sean's holographic image turned to acknowledge the elf he knew to be Carwyn, a ranger in service to Seraphina's father. The Portal Master nodded as he thought for a moment about what he wanted to say. "When I discovered my first Skylander I bonded instantly. As I learned they were more than just a unique gaming marketing idea I began to actively collect them. At one time I had many, many Skylanders. My purpose though isn't to collect as many as I can but to try and get them back with loved ones through sending them to Portal Masters that have found who they search for. Sometimes the Portal Master trades and sometimes I simply give them the Skylander that wants a reunion with one they have. I avoided the trade forums for the sole purpose of many not truly caring about the Skylanders and simply trying to build up their collections. I went through the Skylanders themselves then dealt with Portal Masters. Sometimes I had to offer a Skylander the other Portal Master found valuable. At times I purchased one just for the trade when mine were unwilling to leave without assurance their new Portal Master would continue the search."

Carwyn looked hurt to hear the darker side of being a Skylander. Rafer had never spoken of it nor had Teranika or Seraphina. He couldn't understand it and decided it was better if he never tried. Carwyn reached out as if he were going to take Sean by the shoulder but his hand hovered there when he remembered the Portal Master was just a hologram. Carwyn made a fist of it before he lowered it back to his side. "Rafer and Teranika have a good Portal Master from what I hear but I would rest easier knowing they were with someone who fully understood their plight. Please, find a way to bring my adopted son and his wife into your numbers."  
Sean's eyes widened as he regarded the elf, the request was a new one but he could understand where he was coming from. Sean gave Carwyn a small smile, "I will see what I can do. I will reach out to Anicetus's and Meilyr's Portal Masters as well."  
Carwyn smirked; he was going to mention his nephew and the prince next. The elf's smile faded when he watched a very stern faced Hexling, no, the _real_ Hex, glide straight up to Seraphina just as she accepted Rider's request for a dance. Sean turned quickly to see what had his new acquaintance so silent.

"That is enough," Hex said flatly to Seraphina. "I have seen you dance with no less than seven different partners."  
"I beg your pardon," Seraphina said in surprise, back home it would be expected of her to mingle and be social to ensure visiting nobles weren't left feeling snubbed or offended. Eloryn would normally be the one accused of going too far with it.  
"Hex, it is a party," Rider told his fellow Core. "It is to be expected that partners change with the dance."  
Hex put her hand in his face, right up against it as she pushed the knight backwards. "I do not know what you are trying to do but I will not have stories of my 'change of heart' begin to circulate. I will not be seen as some frivolous little girl."  
Frivolous? Seraphina stared at Hex in awe, how was she being frivolous? Never once had Seraphina hung off a partner's arm and giggled like a little girl or bat her eyes at any of the gentlemen she had danced with, nearly all her partners had been from home and most were already spoken for themselves. It was a formal event and other party-goers were exchanging partners just as much but Hex had singled Seraphina out because she wore her face. "Forgive me," the princess said at last when she found no other words.

Hex bristled at the apology, as if she had taken it as a rude or sarcastic statement. "The last thing I need is a spoiled princess parading about changing my reputation with a smile and laugh."  
"Lady Hex, this is uncalled for," Rider protested. He didn't have to look over his shoulder to know that all the men that knew Seraphina from her kingdom had begun to approach. The whole of the party seemed to have stalled when voices were raised. The only saving grace was the fact it was so few non-Cores now that word would not travel as fast of what might very well transpire. Rider shook his head and fell silent. He would stand at the ready and hoped no action would need to be taken. Already though he was wishing he had his halberd and Fright wasn't milling about in a stable.

"Hex," Cynder said as the dragon strode up to the other undead Skylander. "I think you have overstepped your bounds on this."  
"Do none of you care about your own reputations?" Hex whirled around quickly on the dragon and pressed a clawed finger up against her purplish-black snout. "Do the stories not bother you at all? The looks you get from those that believe them?"  
Seraphina turned when she felt a hand on her arm and allowed herself to be led away by Anicetus. She looked relived to have someone get her out of the spotlight.

"Wait, I am not done speaking to you," Hex grabbed the princess by the arm. "You certainly aren't helping anything by going off with the Ignitorling."  
"He is my brother!" Seraphina said incredulously. Her voice rang out in the room and by the look on Hex's face she didn't appreciate the fact she had just been embarrassed. "What is happening?" Seraphina shook her head as she pulled her arm from Hex's grip. For just a moment it looked like an evil twin and good twin had entered a staring contest.  
Cynder put herself between Hex and Hexling. "I think it best if the both of you called it a night," the dragon said as she spread her wings and refused to look at either Skylander. She raised her wing when Hex tried to peer around her. "You've gotten bold with all that wine in you, Hex. This isn't like you. Let it go. You're both on the same team you know."  
"Come on, Hex. Give it a rest you're toasted. Trust me, I know!" the real Pop Fizz called out to her with a hiccup to illustrate.

Seraphina didn't know what to think, the expressions on the faces of her friends were varied. Meilyr looked ready to start a fight, the gremlin's fur had actually _bristled_ and Anicetus's flames were blood red. Rafer wore no expression at all and simple stepped between Seraphina and Cynder. The dragon gave the Flameslingerling a nod in understanding that he was only doing the same as her. Teranika, Amara and Morwen all reached out to drag Seraphina into a protective cluster with them.  
"Do not listen to her," Amara said softly. "She has simply drunk too much."  
The Stealthling moved so Seraphina would see her rather than the sight of Rafer and Cynder keeping Hex at bay. "I cannot believe this kind of behavior would be tolerated," Teranika said in awe.  
"I am so confused," Seraphina sighed with a glance to either side of her to catch the faces of Cores looking on in wonder. Had she drank too much herself and done something without realizing? It didn't make sense, the Core was out of sorts at the moment and when she came to her senses it would all be forgotten, wouldn't it?

Hex tried again to move past Cynder and found both dragon and Flameslingerling moved with her to bar her progress. "Move, Cynder. This is my business and not yours. You too, imposter. Move."  
"It becomes our business if you keep threatening the princess," Avon warned the Skylander. Core or not her actions wouldn't be tolerated.  
"I believe it is all of our business." The room had already been quiet but with the return of Eon it seemed to go well beyond silent. Anger was not an expression commonly seen on the Grandmaster's wizened features but his brow was deeply furrowed and his mouth a thin line. "I am very disappointed in what I am hearing here," Eon began. He turned around when the door creaked, "Stay a moment longer if you would. Allow me to resolve this issue before you leave on such a sour note," he asked the Portal Master and handful of Skylanders that stood in the now open door. The night wind blew in and gave more than one party-goer a chill. Slowly the door closed with those that had desired to depart still in the foyer. Among them was Cory and the Dino-Rangling made the move first to rejoin the rest of the assembled persons.

Eon turned back to Hex and sighed, the Core was still glowering in the direction of the Hexling. The Hexling herself had wide eyes and looked ready to either run or faint away as she stared back at him. "You have caused no harm, Princess Seraphina," Eon said to her. "And Hex you have let yourself drift from your purpose this night. I am surprised at your behavior and disappointed. You are not a little girl either; I have heard you accuse the princess of the very same thing. Do not scowl at me," Eon scolded Hex. The grandmaster grunted as he regarded Hex. Clearly there were underlying issues that had been bothering her for a while and the drink had only given her the courage to say something. "I want you to accompany the Hexling back to her Portal Master's island," Eon said at last.  
"You're joking!" Hex said with wide eyes. "You can't mean that!"  
"But I do," Eon said firmly. "This is not punishment, Hex. You lack understanding about the other side of the story. I think you have shut yourself off from things for too long. You loath being undead but you seem to shun everything that would make you just like the rest of your colleagues. You could learn something about hope from these individuals I have seen smile and laugh all night. And perhaps you too will remember how to smile."

"Eon, no. This is hardly a proper Skylander assignment," Hex continued to protest.  
"Until you have learned to appreciate what you have and accept the fact you are in this together it will be the only assignment you get," the grandmaster said firmly. He sighed and his tone softened, "The night is late. I see more than one pair of eyes growing heavy and trying to fight it. Retire for the night, Skylanders, Portal Masters and friends. I thank you for joining us and apologize for the spectacle. I hope it will not sour your night or start ugly rumors." The last bit was clearly a warning and from the way others shifted no one planned to go against the grandmaster. Eon took one last look around the room and nodded to a few individuals. The grandmaster simply vanished with that as if he hadn't been present in the first place.

If looks could kill Hex would have laid out all of the Meir Valan elves along with Rider who was still nearby and the Portal Master that stood with them. She narrowed her eyes and snorted before she folded her arms over her chest.  
"Light, Hex," Cynder murmured as she finally moved. She glanced at the other Core and simply moved on when Hex failed to acknowledge her. "Good luck," she said to Rafer as she passed the Flameslingerling. "You're going to need it."  
"I apologize on her behalf," Rider bowed deeply. "Please don't let this altercation reflect poorly on the Cores as a whole."  
Avon bowed back to the other elf, "It will not. We cannot hold everyone accountable for the actions of one. Thank you for your concern." Anicetus snorted as if he wanted to say more but a stern look from Avon silenced him well enough.  
"I'm still here," Hex snapped. She folded her arms over her chest and stared down the mixed party as she waited for them to do _something_.

The night air seemed bitterly cold as the party of Meir Valan elves departed with their numbers stronger by one. Hex kept her distance and if not for the fact she refused to join the Cores that had walked out behind her she might have looked like a part of their group.  
"I guess this is where we part ways," Sean said to Carwyn and Avon. He turned his gaze from the grand ship from Meir Valan and back to the elves that would depart on it. "I would offer my hand for a shake but it wouldn't do any good. So, instead," he led into a bow before the two elder elves. "Ladies, it was a pleasure," he bowed deeper to Amara and Morwen in imitation of how he had seen others regard the ladies.  
"Thank you, Sir Sean," Avon said with a return bow as did Carwyn. "I will return to Seraphina's parents with word of how well you care for the needs of Skylanders. It is safe to say you can expect support from Meir Valan in your efforts."

"Thank you," was all Sean could say. He stood back as the Skylanders moved in to pass along their well-wishes. A few Cores drifted by in curiosity and offered him sympathetic smiles before going their separate ways. Sean really had no idea how things would change with the temporary addition of Hex to his roster. Once the elves from Meir Valan had boarded the king's flagship he was left with Seraphina, her fellow Skylanders and Hex. Everyone else had seemingly cleared the area even though Sean knew they hadn't left.

"Well are we going or staying?" Hex muttered as Eon's ship pulled to port for boarding. She ghosted up the ramp and vanished on deck before anyone else even made a move. It wasn't until Hex had boarded that the others waiting for Eon's ship began to trickle out of places they had been hiding behind topiaries.  
Sean suppressed a yawn and realized with a start the sun would be rising soon. He had been out all night and was finally seeing just how tired the Skylanders were. "Come on," he prompted as he glided towards the ship, "it's time we went back home. Guess I'm calling in sick today," he smirked.  
"I will understand if until Eon deems Hex ready to return if you do not wish to meet up," Seraphina said before she set out ahead of the others.  
"Oh no, I _will_ be there. I am determined to have her see us as valuable members of the Skylanders," Anicetus snorted. Meilyr was the first to agree followed by the nods from Rafer and Teranika. "Poor Crevan," he said suddenly.  
"Oh he is in for a surprise," Teranika gasped.  
"Who is Crevan?" Meilyr asked.  
"A friend and ally," Anicetus answered before he shoved Meilyr. "Get on the ship. We are holding everyone up."

Meilyr gave the waiting Skylanders and Portal Masters a sheepish grin before he trotted up the gangplank. What a night, what a _day_ it was going to be. "I think I am going to sleep for a week straight."  
"Oh you _wish_ you could," Anicetus barked a laugh. Though it would be nice to be on Earth long enough for it all to blow over.  
"I think we all want to blink and miss it. I have never been so embarrassed before," Seraphina said softly.  
"Whatever got under Hex's skin has been there for a long while. She simply chose you as the focal point. I doubt she meant anything from it," Rafer said as he stepped onto the deck behind the princess.  
Slam Bam walked by and shook his head, "Oh no, Hex meant every bit of it," he interjected. "Don't mean I agree with her but she meant it all. You guys are going to have your work cut out for you." He gave a sympathetic shrug before moving towards the stern of the deck.


	6. Broken In

**Broken In**

Hex had sequestered herself into a cabin below decks and locked the door. She stood in front of a window and glowered at the drifting clouds outside. She could see her own reflection and realized with a start she wore the expression of a petulant child. The Core scowled at herself and forced her features to smooth out again. There, that was better. She looked like her normal cool, unruffled self. Ugh, maybe she _had_ drunk too many glasses of wine. It felt as if her head was full of cotton, damn those servers for always sliding by with their trays of items. She had prevented herself from over-eating but had hardly paid attention to what she was drinking. But that infuriating Hexling! Flaunting her high status, mingling with everyone and wearing _her_ face had really gotten under Hex's skin. It was all Kaos's fault, he had done it on purpose to try and ruffle the feathers of the Skylanders. Well Hex wasn't going to fall for it; she would show everyone she could get along with the silly little Hexling and her groupies.

"Forgotten what it is to be alive, indeed," Hex growled to herself as she remembered Eon's words and the meaning behind them. He didn't understand he didn't have people give him sideways glances when he passed. Undead were evil abominations in the eyes of others, Eon wasn't undead. He was a spirit projection but far from undead. Hex had always been subject to the hooded stares and whispers when others thought she wasn't looking. And now the reputation she had worked hard to build up as a Skylander was in danger from the hundreds of Hexlings drifting about doing things in her name. She couldn't take it, wouldn't take it. She thought Eon trusted her but apparently not if he was going to force her to work with the spoiled princess. How had she even become a Skylander to begin with? Hex was going to learn all she could about the insufferable group she had just been thrust into. It wasn't _her_ that needed a lesson in anything. It was_ them_ and their silly notions of being heroes simply for the notoriety. Hex rolled her eyes then rubbed them, she was brooding again. Damn that wine! She wasn't going to drink again – _ever_.

As the sky began to lighten the darker outline of Eon's island was finally visible from the balloon's basket. Kaelin nudged Galvin gently to awaken the sleeping Sunburnling. He had stayed awake the whole night himself. Kaelin had a brick in the pit of his stomach, he knew by now it was too late to find Seraphina but he held onto the slim chance anyway.  
"Where are we?" Galvin yawned and stretched. He reared up on his hind legs and rest his front claws on the rim of the basket to look out into the clouds and retreating stars.  
"That's the island," the dirt shark pilot said. He looked haggard and tired but didn't complain. "I don't see many ships lingering around. Think you fellas are late to the party." The large flagship bearing Eon's flag looked ready to pull out and was probably loaded with departing Skylanders.  
Kaelin held back his comments. Part of him agreed another part was determined to not give up hope. Still it would have made more sense to wait on her Portal Master's island. The elven king simply needed to move, to feel as if he were making progress. And dutiful Galvin, even though the priest had suggested waiting was better he still followed Kaelin when he insisted on taking the balloon.  
"Give me a moment; let me maneuver around to where that fella is waving us to."

"I'm afraid you're late," Hugo called to the pilot once the roar of the balloon's furnace quieted. "The last of the guests are departing now." He studied the weary faces of the travelers and felt a pang of regret for turning them away after such a long trip. But it wasn't his decision to make, he had no choice.  
The pilot nodded and looked back to his balloon as well as islands beyond it. There was no way he was going to be able to fly back home without rest. But if his passengers threw gold at him again he would have to. "Might you be able to tell me where I can land long enough for a rest?"  
"Wait right here," Hugo said with a wave. "I think Eon's ship has a balloon deck. You might be able to gain passage on it back to one of the hubs." He looked back to the weary Skylanders then broke into a run to hail the ship's captain.

"I'm terribly sorry," the dirt shark said to Kaelin. "I did what I could and squeezed every bit of speed from the balloon as possible."  
"Thank you," Kaelin said as he stroked Stampede's head. The ostrich was strangely subdued around the pilot. "You did more for us than anyone else."  
"Ain't about the money," the shark said with a shake of his head. "It's about helping folks. Some'll never understand that I suppose."  
Galvin's jaws cracked with a monstrous yawn; even though he had slept most of the trip he was still exhausted and stiff from his awkward position in the tiny basket. He swore Stampede must have stepped on him a few times when the ostrich was agitated by turbulence. His head swiveled to the side when Hugo came running back up. The mabu was out of breath and leaned forward on his knees panting for a while before he informed them of what he learned.  
"If you can get the balloon in place in five minutes you can get a lift back to the Fetter Foothold hub island," Hugo finally managed between deep breaths and gasps. He pushed his thick glasses back up his nose and slowly stood up. "Oh this was too much physical exertion for me in one night!" he moaned.

The grand ship had multiple cabins, some were large rooms with an array of bunks and a few were private suites that were taken by Cores. Something had Kaelin restless and made him pace the dim corridors of the ship. Outside the sun was turning the sky a soft yellow and pink as it climbed up from its own slumber. Most of the ship's other passengers had finally gone to bed themselves. Occasionally the Riderling saw the ghostly image of a Portal Master drift by as they explored. More than once he had heard Portal Masters excuse themselves and wink out of existence only leaving their Skylanders behind. His awareness of his own time growing short was what kept him moving through the ship. If he could find someone willing to talk, someone not full of drink, he might be able to learn something about Seraphina.

"Oh!" a female voice exclaimed when Kaelin took a corner quickly and slammed into her.  
"Forgive me!" he quickly knelt down and extended a hand to help her up.  
"Somehow I thought I might find you wandering about," the Stealthling laughed. "Why are you giving me that look, Rider? And why have you changed back into your armor? I would think your previous attire was more suited for a down time."  
Kaelin helped her up and squinted at the elf before him. She kept giving him that baffled look. "Teranika, is that you Lady Teranika?" he ventured forth a guess.  
The Stealthling's eyes grew wide, "By the light," she gasped at the recognition of his voice, "Kaelin!" Teranika threw her arms around her lost friend and began to laugh. "Oh what luck! Everything is coming together so quickly now. It must be fate!"  
Kaelin tightened his embrace around the cousin of his soon-to-be wife. "It is so good to see you," he said to her softly. "Who is with you, is Seraphina here?"  
"I do not have much time," Teranika said as she pulled away from the Riderling. "Rafer, Ani, Meilyr and Sera are all here as well. That is as big as our group has grown. They are back in the-" and just like that she was gone.

Kaelin took a few steps forward to the location Teranika had been standing. _There were all back in the where?_ he wondered as he turned in a circle. He never got to tell her Galvin was with him, but at that moment he was more concerned with finding the others for a reunion. Just when Kaelin had picked a direction to head the world spun and it felt as if the earth had fallen away from under him. With a loud groan of frustration he found himself back on Earth in the portal room with Mia whining as her mother told her it was time to get ready for school and scolding her for not letting her know the portal had been active all night.

"Think you could growl a little louder, I think you left a few undead sleeping," another Skylander said.  
"Oh ha, ha," a female voice scoffed. "Give it a rest Dune. Must you always have comments like that each time we come back?"  
Kaelin tuned out the conversation around him and let himself slip into what passed for sleep as a Skylander on Earth. It would now be a week until he was able to make another attempt to reach out.

Never-sleep had seen rain the night before, Crevan realized when he set foot into wet grass and soft earth. The air smelled clean, fresh and welcoming as the gremlin's feet rustled through the dew-laden grass. He felt wonderfully refreshed; a whole day of rest was exactly what he needed. His Portal Master, Beth, had been on her island briefly before setting out to explore. That's how she was; her Skylanders were friends and she would let them go their ways as she went hers. To some because she was never around it might be seen as apathy but Crevan knew differently and he respected her tremendously for the freedom she granted them all.

As Seraphina had taught him, Crevan went for the terminals. The lines were short for a change and many Skylanders at them looked prepared for more rain. It didn't take long for Crevan to reach a terminal and he set to quickly checking names. His thick fingers and claws made for an awkward time of it but he managed. The Fizzling was blown away when he found multiple links to names Seraphina was searching for and felt a jolt of excitement when he clicked open a private message from Kaelin. It was from last night the timestamp said so the chances of getting a reply were slim but it didn't stop Crevan from answering the king. By then Seraphina herself should have seen it and might be setting up a meeting. Politely Crevan sent the princess a message letting her know his plans for the day. Skylands was huge and full of multiple kingdoms and countries. The chances of meeting up with Seraphina without an arranged meeting were very slim. Crevan wasn't worried however and would go about his business like usual. The gremlin did a quick search for the last friend he hadn't found but didn't let the lack of information bring him down. He would find her, just as Seraphina was rapidly finding those she missed so too would Crevan find the elf he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Wherever she was whatever Core she now resembled she would always be dear to the Fizzling.

By the time Seraphina awoke it was early afternoon. She stretched and smirked at herself, the dress she was in needed to be pressed badly from the wrinkles she had just put in it. The bunks around her still held most of the Skylanders that were traveling with her but a few had either gotten up to wander the ship or been sent back to Earth. She was startled at first when she realized she _was_ still on the ship. Sean was nowhere around but that was to be expected. If her Portal Master was too tired to keep his hologram together then it would shut down and send his consciousness back to Earth. Above her bunk she could hear Meilyr snoring and the bunk at her feet held her brother, also snoring. Seraphina rose to her feet and stretched to get her blood flowing. She wasn't surprised to find Rafer and Teranika missing. Their Portal Master would have drawn them back by now anyway. The princess reached up to grab the Fizzling by a foot and shook it. Meilyr nearly rolled out of the bunk before she moved to rouse her brother.

"You look like you slept in your dress," Anicetus said to her groggily. His flames looked less intense while he slept and still hadn't grown stronger since he had awoken. He stretched out his limbs and only then did his flames grow stronger.  
"Ugh, remind me to never fall asleep in my armor again," Meilyr groaned as he rolled one shoulder around and tried to rub it.  
"I think I have told you six times. Granted this is the first time since you have become a Fizzling but you never learn, Mei," Anicetus replied.  
"Good morning Seraphina," a Shroomboomling yawned as he waddled by the trio. "Mornin' dudes," he added to Anicetus and Meilyr.  
"Good afternoon Roan," Seraphina called to him as he walked through the door.  
"Is he the one from Ignitor's battle?" Meilyr yawned. "He has one strange sense of humor." The gremlin hardly cared that he made the move to scratch his backside in front of Seraphina. It wasn't until after the fact he realized what he had done and gave her an embarrassed smile.  
Seraphina ignored the Fizzling's actions but answered his question with a yes before she straightened her dress as well as possible and glided out into the hall herself.

"We made it to Fetter Foothold," the Slam Bamling that shared Cory's Portal Master said upon the arrival of Seraphina. Next him was Roan; somehow the Shroomboomling had found a hot mug of coffee between the bunk and his destination of the top deck. He offered the second to the yeti who took it with a nod. "Pilot says we pulled into port at midmorning and he was told to stay here until everyone had departed."  
"Afternoon, Erryn," Seraphina greeted the Slam Bamling. "Are Cory and Isabella still around?"  
"Izzy's still asleep. I think Cory went to see if the balloon pilot would mind giving us a lift to another island. Unless you'd rather use the balloon for your needs."  
Seraphina shook her head, "No thank you. I am at a hub and at the moment that is where I want to be. Thank you though." The princess smiled when she saw the Dino-Rangling come onto deck with a dirt shark she didn't remember seeing before. "Good afternoon, Cory."

"Well look at you, all disheveled and everything," the Rangling laughed. "Good to see you smiling again. Hey, I was just talking to Manton here and he says his balloon will hold seven persons total if you and your friends want to join us?" He already knew her party had shrunk by three and wasn't worried of overfilling the balloon.  
"Can't find my original two passengers. Poor fellas were trying to make the party to meet up with someone but didn't make it in time. I'm guessing their Portal Master pulled em back."  
Seraphina smile, "No thank you. I am where I want to be at the moment. There is also Hex to consider," she said with a slightly flatter tone.  
Cory groaned, "I had forgotten that. I am so sorry, Seraphina."

Manton's brows rose at the name. "Excuse me, Seraphina?" he asked. The shark moved up closer to her and studied the way she was dressed. It was wrinkled and her hair had been pulled down but he could still see her as royalty. "You wouldn't happen to be Princess Seraphina Reve of Meir Valan would you?"  
"I am," she nodded. "Please forgive me for my sloppy state."  
Manton waved, "Hey we all look the same. I ain't worried." He paused for a moment when an Ignitorling and Fizzling stepped up onto deck. "I think my passengers last night were searching for you. A Riderling with an ornery ostrich and a quiet Sunburnling."  
Seraphina's eyes lit up, "Do you have names?" Anicetus and Meilyr were by her side in a moment, the Fizzling's eyes were just as wide and Anicetus's flames had turned golden.  
"The Riderling's name was Kale, or something. I can't remember the Sunburnling's but he seemed to defer to the Riderling."  
"Kaelin," Anicetus said. "That had to be him!"  
"Does Galvin sound familiar?" Seraphina asked the dirt shark.  
"Yeah, yeah it does. That was them, then. Kaelin and Galvin. They were in such a hurry, I'm sorry I couldn't get them to you sooner. The elf talked about you a lot."

Seraphina sank to her knees; Meilyr caught her and helped her sit on the deck of the ship before her brother turned around. Erryn and Roan too moved in but stayed back when Seraphina looked up to the Fizzling. "He was so close. He has to have found Sean's island! Oh the search is finally at an end. That means he made a hub, he should have an entry himself!" She held onto Meilyr tightly and surprised the gremlin by pulling him into a tight hug. She reached out with her second arm for her brother and dragged the Ignitorling in for a tight embrace as well.  
"Group hug!" Roan said happily before he launched himself at the trio. All the Shroomboomling could do was laugh when the Fizzling gave him a strange look.

"This is exactly what I was talking about," Hex said sourly. No one had seen her arrive and she didn't seem content without that recognition.  
"They're family," Erryn grumbled as he crossed all four of his arms over his chest. The Core was out numbered, if she was going to pick on one of their own then Erryn was going to stand up for the Hexling.  
Roan held his hands up and backed away. "Hey, _I_ was just joking."  
Hex scoffed and rolled her head in an overly dramatic way. "You are such a slob little clone, you can press your dress you know. There's a room below deck. Though I suppose without a servant it won't get done."  
Seraphina glided to her feet easily with help from her brother. "Where is this room?" she asked calmly.

"Down the stairs, second left followed by another left then the third right. Door on the right from that point," Hex said as if the information took a great deal of effort to give.  
"Thank you," Seraphina replied before she ghosted off towards the stairs. Erryn decided to follow her and cast Hex one last look before he vanished below decks.  
"Oi, you lads are in for a rough ride," Cory said softly to Anicetus and Meilyr as he walked by with the dirt shark pilot. They had been so quiet it was easy to forget they had been present.

"So," Meilyr said as he turned back to Hex.  
"So," she replied obviously waiting for him to do or say something.  
"Um, I am Meilyr. I think we got off on the wrong foot." He extended his hand to Hex and let it stay there until she had stared at it long enough to make Meilyr feel awkward. The Fizzling dropped his hand. "Okay," he shrugged. "This is Prince Anicetus Reve of Meir Valan."  
"I don't care about titles," Hex sniffed.  
"Leave her be, Mei," Anicetus said suddenly. His flames were flickering between red and orange quickly. "She seems quite content to be left by herself."  
"I am here only as long as Eon sees fit. We are not friends, we will never be friends. You leave me be and I'll do the same for you."  
"Right," Meilyr turned to his friend. "I think I saw a few games of Skystones being played last night. Care to see if we can play a few rounds?"  
Anicetus looked at Hex one last time. "Certainly."

"I think I found this laundry room she spoke of," Erryn said to Seraphina as he caught up with her. "Hey, you ok?"  
"Fine," she said flatly. She didn't like the prospect of being saddled with Hex any more than the Core did with them. "I am sorry," she sighed to the Slam Bamling. "While part of me understands where she is coming from the other part of me sees her trying to tell me how I am supposed to live. No one has that kind of authority over anyone." Seraphina made another turn and glided around Double Trouble, as she had only seen one last night it meant it was another Core she had come close too.  
"You're wearing a Hex expression," the Core said once Seraphina had passed him. "Smile, it won't kill you." The tiki man was seen as terrifying to some and comical to others with the strange mask he wore. At least, others thought it was a mask. It did have the ability to show expressions which blurred the line between mask and face quite well. Seraphina turned back around and gave him a smile, a little rough around the edges because she didn't feel like it but she had tried. "See, not dead!" he laughed before he turned a corner and vanished.

"I seriously wonder about the Cores sometimes," Erryn said softly to Seraphina. "I was _lucky_ enough to have a conversation with Boomer last night. I think I can make my own explosives now and understand the angles in which to place the sticks to get the explosion to move debris in just the right way to make it artful."  
Seraphina had to laugh; she remembered seeing the crazed troll as he animatedly talked to anyone that would listen. "Ah, here it is," the Hexling announced as she found an open door and an ironing table.

"Izzy! Mornin'," Erryn waved to the Chilling inside. She was dressed in a plain white bathrobe as she carefully pressed her gown.  
"Good morning Ice man," she grinned. "Good to see you again Princess. I don't know who the robes belong to but unless they want us running around in our skivvies I'm going to make use of it." She watched Erryn lean up against another table. "Does laundry amuse you?" Isabella asked with a raised brow.  
"Better than being up top." He tilted his head towards Seraphina as she snagged a robe and vanished behind a folding screen to change. The Chilling nodded her understanding; it couldn't be easy to have a Core breathing down the Hexling's neck. "That and I thought you lovely ladies could do with a studly companion, you know, to balance out the estrogen in the room."  
"Oh brother," Isabella rolled her eyes.

"She looks like a statue," Meilyr grumbled as he glanced past Anicetus again towards Hex.  
"If you do not quit looking over there you may draw her to us," the prince replied softly. He played his next stone and flipped two of Meilyr's over to show the prince's color when the newly played one proved stronger. "And you are distracted, Mei. I have never seen you lose this badly."  
"Hey, these are not my stones," the gremlin grumbled as he thought about his next move.  
Anicetus glanced up to the Hot Dogling that was sitting behind the Fizzling, "No, they are better than yours." The fire hound laughed and rest his head atop his paws with his tail swaying behind him. Neither Anicetus nor Meilyr had any skystones with them but had found a few players willing to let them borrow theirs.

"How did you find your brother?" Meilyr asked the fire hound.  
"Like anyone else, the mabu network. Though I'm unable to even touch the terminals so I always had to have a helper."  
"It was a shock when we met back up. Neither of us is even close to the tree folk we used to be," the Bashling behind Anicetus said.  
"We were elves," Anicetus replied. "Although I think Meilyr's current form is more fitting for him," the prince's tone said he was grinning.  
"I am a giant hairball," Meilyr grumped. "My eyes like to point two different directions. This is an improvement?"  
The Bashling laughed heartily. "You just might miss the extra strength when the curse is finally broken."

Meilyr took a look at his massive clawed hand, _maybe_, he thought. He wouldn't miss the way he smelled when wet, there was no worse smell in his mind.  
The fire hound sat up to scratch behind his ear with a hind paw, "I'm enjoying this new venture. I have a new respect for fire after wielding it for so lo-" his statement was cut off by an enormous explosion and the accompanying screams from Fetter Foothold. "The drow!" he barked upon realizing the giant battleship that was approaching had been the cause of the explosion. As he watched their huge cannon recoiled with another blast that showered earth and other debris when it hit the island. "Kaos is attacking!" he bellowed before running off to rouse others still on the ship.

The game of stones was forgotten just as quickly, Anicetus and Meilyr were on their feet and running alongside the Bashling towards the gangplank and island itself.  
A P.A. system screamed to life and the grainy sound that came from it was none other than the voice of Kaos. "You destroyed a camp of my trolls, Skylanders," he sneered. "Poor little trolls were just doing their jobs; robbing Skylanders blind! Is there no one that can respect an honest day's work anymore?" he made a tsking sound just before the cannon discharged. "Hold your fire you idiots! Can't you see I'm in the middle of taunting? Oh never mind, obliterate that ship!"

Drow departed the battle ship via gliders and parachutes, once the ship was close enough to the landmass they began to slide down on ropes. Skylanders had already moved onto the island to usher the people running about to relative safety. Eon's flagship was their primary target but that didn't mean they weren't going to cause as much damage as possible to the island itself.  
Kaos's crazed laughter blared through the sound system, "Oh was that how you were going to find your fellow Skylanders? Oops," he cackled.  
"Is the fool on that ship or sitting safely back in his fortress?" Anicetus asked.  
"What do you think?" the Bashling asked before he rolled himself up to tear across the ground faster.

"Coward," the prince growled at Kaos. He unsheathed his sword in time to meet the charge of a drow lancer. Anicetus twisted just barely so the enemy's thrust would miss him before he grabbed the lance with one hand and sent tendrils of fire down it. The drow howled in pain when his weapon became too hot to hold, he dropped it and went quickly for the dagger in his boot. "Really?" Anicetus asked as he just stood in place. With a snort the Ignitorling launched a section of his fiery self at the drow and had him rolling on the ground to put out the flames that engulfed him. A second later and the drow was bowled over by the Bashling. "Thanks, Ash," the prince waved to the retreating figure.  
"No problem!" the Bashling's voice drifted back.  
"Just like old times, hey Ani?" Meilyr grinned as he threw potions in rapid succession.  
"Sure is, except you had less hair then."  
"Shut up," Meilyr growled at the prince's laughter. He struck a drow in the face with a vial of acid before changing to his explosive brews. "And you had more," he added as an afterthought.  
"Oh, burn," the prince conceded with a laugh.

Isabella emerged from below decks with Seraphina and Erryn. Both of the women were still dressed in the plain white bathrobes; there was no time to change. All the Chilling had done was strap on a sword belt that obviously belonged to someone else since all she had brought on the ship with her was the party dress now sitting on an ironing table.  
"Keep em off the ship!" Erryn called as he ran out towards the dock. He balled all four of his hands into fists and clocked a goliath drow in the chin when the brute roared at him.  
"Shouldn't we just have the pilot pull out?" Isabella asked as she paced Seraphina in her hover towards combat.  
"The ship can be used to transport the wounded. Just keep the drow off it!" The Hexling yelped when an arrow caught her in the robe, luck had it miss her completely but it brought her awareness back to where it belonged. "Stay with me," she told the Chilling. "We never wander far from the ship." She broke the arrow and dropped the useless shaft in one swift motion.  
Isabella looked to the drow swarming the area, which was exactly where she wanted to be. "It'll be an honor to work with you again."

Hex had waded out right into the thick of things; she held up her circling skulls and let them slam into the drow all trying to press in on her for an attack. The only thing she really had to worry about were the archers, they could shoot up and over her swirling skulls. Hex released the storm of skulls and began to use her quicker phantom orb attack. Skulls rained down on the furthest opponents while Hex focused on the close-ranged ones with her orb casting. The orbs exploded on contact and sent wounded drow stumbling backwards and gasping for breath. A partial charge of her skull storm would land a carefully placed skull right on the crown of a drow's head and take them down for the count when she found the time.

A ball of molten rock scorched a path through the grass and set fire to drow that got close enough before it lost momentum and spread out into a pool of red-hot rock and embers. "Need a hand?" Eruptor asked as he stomped up near Hex.  
"I've got this," she said while launching a phantom orb behind him to hit an archer square in the face.  
"No," the other Core said, "You don't got it. You're trying to show how much more powerful you are than a copy. I've got your back whether you like it or not!" The lava golem insisted. He flung himself at an approaching drow and wrapped his molten arms around the screaming elf to subdue him.

"Ugh, just stay out of my way," Hex said through gritted teeth. She raised her arm and brought up a thorny wall of bones around her before she picked shots carefully through them. Phantom orbs raced out at high speeds and disarmed drow nearly as often as wounded them. It wasn't that the drow overwhelmed them, there were more Skylanders present than those on Eon's ship. The mabu, molekin and other assorted non-Skylander residents were fighting back just as well and unlike Skylanders defeat could mean death.

Meilyr danced around the goliath drow's charge. The Fizzling was twice his normal size thanks to the potion he had just downed and was obviously enjoying toying with the hulking brute. The gremlin clapped his hands together and braced himself, "That all you got?" he asked the drow.  
"Stop playing with him and finish him off!" Anicetus yelled. He pulled his sword out of the drow before him and turned away as the dark elf crumpled into the grass. The prince was already engaged with another opponent by then.  
With a snort Meilyr lowered his shoulder and charged at the drow when he did the same. The drow's eyes widened and he tried to alter his momentum to run the other way when the crazed gremlin's armor became a threat. "Too slow!" Meilyr roared as he made impact. There was a sickening crunch and Meilyr tripped over the falling goliath's feet before he wound up rolling in the grass himself. "Like hitting a wall," the Fizzling groaned and pulled himself to his feet. He never made it; a second goliath had taken his moment of disorientation as a cue and slammed into the Fizzling. Meilyr yelled when the shields on the drow's forearms hit him under the chin and in the gut. He tumbled head over heels a few times before coming to rest face down in the grass.

Breathing hard the goliath turned to rush Anicetus. He lowered his shoulders and head before picking up speed towards the empty suit of armor. _Empty_? The drow faltered long enough for Anicetus to fling his flame form onto the drow and hold on as long as possible. "Let go," the drow commanded.  
Anicetus refused, all he had to do was hold onto the larger enemy's shoulders and his natural fire state would do the rest. It smelled of burning flesh and fabric, a sickening combination but Anicetus wasn't about to let go. Meilyr still hadn't moved and the prince would be damned if he let the drow get away with harming his friend.

Sound was the first thing to return, it was all distant and indistinct but Meilyr knew it was the sounds of battle. He groaned heavily and pushed himself up on a shaky left arm. His other was in terrible pain as was his chest, the drow had broken bones. The pain was excruciating and though Meilyr could retreat to Earth if he so desired, the Fizzling steadfastly remained where he was to finish what he had started. The ground shook as the goliath that had bowled him over hit the grass with horrendous burns over the majority of his body. Meilyr just did see Anicetus retreat to his suit of armor and reclaim his sword.

"Light, Mei, you look awful," Anicetus said as he helped his friend to his feet.  
Meilyr could see his crimson blood staining Anicetus's armor and shuddered. "I have a potion to take the edge off it."  
Anicetus set the Fizzling down behind a large boulder that had been upturned by cannon fire. "You have healing draughts?"  
"I would be a fool to not carry them," the Fizzling wheezed. With the Ignitorling's help he rummaged through his pack now sitting on his lap and pulled out the one he needed. "I need you to set my arm," the gremlin winced before he downed part of the potion. "Now," he tightly held his eyes shut and braced for what was coming.

Anicetus had done this very thing for his friend before and Meilyr had done it for him. With a jerk, twist and pop the bone was set and Meilyr made the most piteous sound Anicetus had ever heard before he finished the rest of the potion. The Ignitorling peeked up over the boulder to ensure they would remain free of unexpected visitors while the potion went to work.  
"Light it is tender but I can function," Meilyr said as he clamored to his feet. "Looks like this round I am nothing more than a potion slinger."  
"At least there _is_ a next round," Anicetus nudged his friend in the shoulder. "This curse does have its pros."

Isabella's warning allowed Seraphina to move aside as an ice javelin flew past her head on both sides. She and the Chilling had perfect timing together and thus the Hexling seemed to always be standing in the line of fire yet was never hit. The javelins hit two of the three witches and interrupted their spell casting long enough for Seraphina's phantom orbs to further unbalance them. The third witch needed another round before it was safe to take a breather.  
"Oh, hold on. My javelins are harder to use with this sword," the Chilling called. She ran in closer to Seraphina as the Hexling began to cast her skull storm. "Argh, I give up. Sometimes I can do it and sometimes I can't. I think my javelin has a special enchantment to work with my skills."  
"Use what you have," Seraphina said as she released her spell and the witches screamed as huge skulls pummeled them.

"Right," Isabella agreed as she stepped around the princess and raised multiple blocks of ice that pinned one of the three witches. She cast again and put yet another witch on defense. "Pin her down!" the Chilling called. A moment later and the witch was trapped between a bramble bone wall and block of ice. She groaned as the two pressed in on her tight and the burrs that covered the large bones left tears in her clothing as well as skin.  
The third and final witch threw out multiple boomerangs and hit the two Skylanders with nearly half of them.  
Seraphina shrieked as her white robe was painted crimson first from Isabella's blood then her own. The wounds stung and she could feel the skin pull whenever she moved. "Izzy, are you alright?" she asked through clenched teeth.  
"Light," the Chilling groaned, "that really _smarts_. She got my sword arm, I'm useless." Isabella pulled the blade that had gotten lodged in her arm out and was forced to use her other hand to stem the flow.

Seraphina raised multiple bone walls to protect the two of them before she ripped a strip of Isabella's robe into a makeshift tourniquet. "Stay with me as long as possible. The more of them we take out the more lives we save."  
The Chilling laughed as the blade witch cursed and tried to throw more of her razor-sharp weapons past the nearly solid wall of bones. "Never would I have thought I would be so eager to fight to the death. I guess it makes a big difference when you know you're not really going to die."  
"Hurts like the dickens still," Seraphina smirked. She flung blood from her fingertips, excess from the Chilling's wound. "If we can take that witch out I think we can re-enter the fray proper."  
"Any ideas?" Isabella asked. She felt like she'd been hit by a charging goliath and could hardly think of anything other than the pain she was in.

"Stay where you are!" an unfamiliar voice called. A shadow raced over the two women before the drow witch cried out in agony. There were a few crackles of electricity then silence before the soft treading from feet in the grass grew closer. "Are you alright?"  
"Who are you, identify yourself," Seraphina said. Her voice was hard and her tone loud, she couldn't take any chances.  
"My name is Windy. I'm a Skylander like you. Let me help you, I can heal you."

Windy stepped back as a section of the bone wall came down and a Hexling's head stuck out through it. Although without the cowl on it had been hard to determine she was a Hexling. A short moment later and the wall was gone revealing torn white robes stained in red. "What the juice," the Whirlwindling gasped when she saw the two Skylanders. "You look like you got in a fight with a blender!"  
"We did," Isabella winced. "And it won until you kicked its tail for us. Thank you, I'm Izzy. This is Seraphina."  
Seraphina's attention had been on the other two witches, once she was certain they wouldn't rise up again she turned her attention to the newcomer. "Thank you, Windy. Your arrival was very fortunate for us."  
"Welcome," the unicorn and dragon hybrid chirped. She looked again at the ugly gash and trails of red that ran down Isabella's arm and from somewhere under Seraphina's robe before she lowered her head and cast her healing spell.

Isabella closed her eyes and let the pastel colors wash over her, light of different colors was believed to have healing properties and those that shared Whirlwind's form only seemed to give credit to it. The pain began to ebb and Isabella's breathing returned to normal. By the time she opened her eyes it was Seraphina that stood in the path of the spell. The Hexling had a wound on her leg that was as bad if not worse than Isabella's arm. The princess had ignored her own wound in order to help the Chilling. Part of Isabella was grateful for that; the other part thought she was a moron for ignoring her own needs. Isabella looked back to where they had been cowering behind the bone wall. Now that she thought of it the pool of blood she had taken as coming from her arm was on the wrong side to have been hers. Isabella whistled and looked back to the Hexling. That was one tough princess.

"S'all good, ladies!" Windy said proudly once both Skylanders were completely healed. "And why are you in bath robes anyway?"  
"It's a long story, Windy," Isabella smirked. "Care to stick it out with us a bit longer to throw these fools back at Kaos?"  
"That's the cheese, I thought you'd never ask!" she said brightly before fluttering up into the sky and adjusting her red scarf. "Follow me, I saw a whole bunch of those spear dorks trying to use kids as shields." Without another word the Whirlwindling darted off and forced the other two women to race after her.

"Be careful!" Hex snapped at Eruptor when she was forced to hike up her dress to avoid setting the hem on fire when one of his lava pools stretched a little too close to her.  
Almost as if he had hit rewind the lava flowed back in on Eruptor and left only scorched earth behind as well as the burns it had given drow. "Sorry," he apologized. He lobbed a thick blob of lava over the sorceress's head that took a spell punk in the face and off a goliath's shoulders. The spell punk was done for and the goliath was suddenly clawing at his shoulders and howling from where lava had splashed him when it struck the spell punk.

Hex scoffed and turned back around to drop multiple skulls on top of the drow's head. He crumpled in a heap and she coasted on by him. The ship had long ago stopped dropping the drow and now a few were trying to scramble back up the ropes to escape the slaughter that had them overwhelmed. Hex aimed carefully and sent a phantom orb towards one of the ropes. It didn't snap it but did make the whole thing sway madly and flung the drow clinging to it into the path of another rope. Someone somewhere was setting fire to the ropes via what looked like flaming arrows. Hex turned away from the ship, it would either depart or the cannon would fire again. There was nothing she could do about it from her current location. If the turrets were still useable someone would man them soon and give the drow ship something to fear.

Eruptor clomped up next to Hex, his arms swinging wide as he moved. "We should go back to the ship, make sure none got aboard."  
Hex looked towards the interior of the island, which was where all the action was and where she wanted to be in order to prove to the copies out there that nothing beat the power of a Core. Hex frowned then sighed, if she let Eon's ship become damaged she would have no one but herself to blame. "Fine," Hex snapped as she turned back around. "Anyone I find cowering on the ship will get a tongue lashing."  
"Oh I don't doubt that," Eruptor rolled his eyes.

The drow screamed as the ground shrank below him. "If you wiggle, I'll drop you!" Windy said in a sing-song voice. The drow didn't heed her and the hybrid lost her grip. She looked down past her now empty claws towards the wide-eyed screaming drow as he plummeted back to the island. "Told you so." The Whirlwindling leaned to one side and partially folded her wings to enter a lazy downward spiral. Below her the Hexling and Chilling were scattering drow and ensuring the children they had rounded up remained safe. It made Windy so mad to see the cowardly drow use children to keep themselves safe. She scowled deeply before wrapping her scarf up further and turned her lazy spiral into a fierce dive to take another drow out. The dark elf yelped and tried to run away from the speeding hybrid. At the last minute he realized jumping to the side was his only chance of survival. "Seriously, that's so wonk!" Windy huffed when her claws met only empty air rather than the drow's back. She circled back around and dropped a tempest cloud on top of the foolish drow's head. He screamed as the charge within the cloud shocked him repeatedly.

Windy wheeled up and landed in the next moment. She folded her wings by her side and galloped back up to the two Skylanders she had healed earlier. The lesser drow were beaten, those that could had turned to run. Now it was time to calm the screaming children. Windy pinned her ears against her head, it was so noisy! "Hey, you're safe now, we made them go away!" she said hoping it would calm them. It didn't seem to work and since the Hexling and Chilling were still wearing blood soaked clothing even their softer voices and kind words fell on deaf ears.

"Stay together, please," Seraphina was saying as some of the children tried to run off and find their parents. Light, how were they ever going to calm this many and keep them safe until their parents showed up?  
Windy decided to shower the large group of children in a light show. The rainbow colors drew attention in on her and seemed to at least make a few of them grow quieter in their sobbing. "This _so_ isn't what I'm supposed to use it for," she sighed. Oh well, it had been her idea to rescue the children after all. She could play with them for a little while at least.

"Oh thank the light," Isabella said as she wiped her brow.  
"Keep an eye out for the drow," Seraphina sighed. "It looks like things are calming down. We should get the children to the ship; it will be easier to make sure they are not harmed."  
"Bet you anything it'll be about as easy as herding chompies."  
"As I believe that statement I will not be placing a bet," Seraphina replied.  
"Wait, we're placing bets? On what, I want in!" Windy called.  
Isabella raised her hand, "Just joking," she said. "Help us get these tykes back to Eon's ship until their parents come for em."  
"_All_ of them?" Windy's eyes grew wide. "There's like, twenty of them! I _just_ got them to sit still!"  
"It is not safe here and that ship will be the most easily defensible spot," Seraphina replied. She looked at her dirty robe and scowled, some of the kids were frightened by how she looked and her reputation as an undead. The Hexling looked back over the group; they were wide-eyed and obviously scared but seemed to be paying attention for now. "Come, before any more drow take notice of us."


	7. Respect

**Respect**

The deck of Eon's ship had become an infirmary and daycare, wounded Skylanders as well as normal Skylands residents moved about treating those that needed care or received it themselves. Children were confined to the stern unless their parents happened to be among those seeking treatment. Hex was annoyed with the number of wounded, for whatever reason Kaos usually kept the fighting to sparsely populated areas and enslaved whoever lived there. His outright attack on the Skylanders had a very high casualty rate this time. Each of the hub islands were large centers of commerce, giant sprawling landmasses with employment opportunities, homes and all manner of shops and entertainment. It wasn't until recently parts of them had been dedicated to Sky Arc, the official term for the network of Skylanders seeking lost loved ones. It made no sense to attack the hub itself, Kaos was only searching for Eon's ship and the hub happened to get in the way. It was a stupid move on his part, so many Skylanders were present that the attack was over quite quickly and not in the evil overlord's favor.

Hex nearly tripped, if that was possible while hovering, when she saw the Hexling she was assigned to parading around in a torn and bloodied bathrobe. She was speaking to a worried looking elf when Hex stormed up to her and spun her around by an arm. "Just what do you think you're doing out here in _that_?" the sorceress demanded.  
Seraphina slid her arm easily out Hex's grip and said a quick apology to the elf before she addressed Hex. "When Kaos attacked I was ironing out my garments. To take the time to change could have caused a deadly outcome for someone on the hub."  
"Go change this instant, it's indecent to be out like that!" Hex scowled. She knew that the princess was aware the only reason she cared was Seraphina was currently an exact copy of her. She hadn't even bat an eye at the equally disheveled Isabella nearby.  
Seraphina pulled the robe closed over the leg that had been exposed, not that anyone would care since the leg still hadn't been cleaned from the wound Windy had healed earlier. "I will change when the wounded are tended and help has arrived for them." She turned away from Hex and kneeled down to check the bandage on the elf at her feet.

Hex grabbed the princess by the arm and tried to haul her up; Seraphina wouldn't budge and dislodged her hand. "What could you possibly be doing that needs your attention so direly?"  
"I am a healer!" the princess snapped. "Now please move back and let me work!" She avoided using the Core's name on purpose. If others thought she was just another Hexling then the Core would understand it later when she had cooled off.  
"A healer are you? I thought you were a princess." She folded her arms over her chest. She didn't interfere with the Hexling's work but she wasn't about to move away either.  
"I am a priestess in the Order of Light," Seraphina replied as she took the bandage off the elf's leg. "Hold still," she told him softly. "This will sting but I have to do it."

As Hex watched she saw Seraphina expertly clean the wound then apply a poultice someone had freshly made. It didn't prove to her that the Hexling was a healer but Hex let her work nonetheless. Seraphina's prayer though was intriguing and the way she kept her hand over the newly changed bandage while she said it. The princess, or priestess, whatever she wanted to call herself, gathered her supplies and gave one last smile to the wounded elf and the woman Hex took to be his wife.  
"That will hold him until he can get into a hospital to stitch up the leg. Keep pressure on it and do not let him do anything more than sit up. Too much moving will shift the poultice and the wound will bleed profusely again. Being that close to the artery would prove disastrous."  
"Thank you," the female elf sighed. She sat down next to her husband and kissed his forehead before talking softly to him.

Seraphina glided through the rows of wounded. With Hex watching she stooped to check wounds, exchanged instructions with individuals and offered aid where she could. "Helen, I need your help," she said at one yeti with his fur matted with blood and midsection piled high with cloth to stem the bleeding. "Helen, I need your help," Seraphina said with a pointed look towards Hex.  
It took the Core a moment to understand what was happening. Hex nearly corrected Seraphina on the name but let it slide until she could be sure of what was happening. "What do you need me to do?" she asked slowly.  
"He will die of blood loss before a skilled healer is available. I have to cauterize the wound," Seraphina said sourly. Cauterization was an ancient technique to stem blood flow and had been replaced by more modern methods of medicine and magic. None of which were available at the time with the sheer amount of wounded on the ship and still on the island itself.  
"Cauterize?" Hex repeated the unfamiliar word.

"I need a fire elemental with a thin bit of metal, a dagger or even sword will work. I need to burn the artery that was cut and stop it from bleeding. I will need a suture as well to fix what I cannot mend with red hot metal. It will leave scars but it is the only way my poultice will be able to work on the wound."  
"Why won't just one or the other work?" Hex questioned. She was thoroughly intrigued by the Hexling now.  
"I lack the proper tools and must make do with what I have, please find someone to help!" Seraphina said in an exasperated tone. She _really_ missed her healer skills, none of this would be needed but she was grateful she had the knowledge.

Stunned Hex hovered off, it was as if the princess was speaking a foreign language to her and Hex didn't have a clue as to what she was trying to do. Luckily though Hex found an alternative, a Whirlwindling in a red scarf was walking down the rows of wounded and washing her rainbow light over them. Hex grabbed the Skylander by her scarf, "I have someone near death that can use your skill," she said quickly and evenly.  
Windy tugged her scarf out of the other Skylander's grip; did she have to pull on it so hard? "Where, I'll help," she said. Of course it wasn't for the Hexling in front of her but for the person needing the attention. The Hexling was way too rude for her tastes.  
"Come," Hex said as she turned around and glided off.

Windy looked around her quickly, people were in pain but looked like they would live until she returned. "Just let me know if there's a lot of blood. I'm getting kinda tired of seeing it, you know?"  
"He has a hole in his torso," Hex replied.  
Windy's ears fell and she faltered in taking her next step. "Oh I don't know if I can look at that…"  
"You will come and you will do it that is an order!" Hex snapped.  
The Whirlwindling's first reaction was to argue with her and she nearly did. At the last moment Windy restrained herself, she didn't want to be blamed for a death. "Fine, but you should learn a little respect. The real Hex wouldn't like you starting rumors about her."  
The comment struck a chord with Hex, the other Skylander believed her a copy and poor reflection on the real Hex. She certainly hadn't expected that kind of reaction. The result was Hex remained quiet as she led the Whirlwindling back to Seraphina.

"Hey! It's you again!" Windy said brightly at seeing Seraphina holding one of the yeti's hands.  
"Oh thank the light," Seraphina breathed. "You are a much better choice than my first thought. Try not to look at it," she said when she realized the color had drained from Windy's face.  
"Schnasty," the hybrid squeaked. Had that been his guts she saw? She felt sick suddenly and had to sit down as well as close her eyes.  
Seraphina cleaned her hands on her already soiled robe before she moved to kneel next to Windy. "I need your help," she told the hybrid softly. "He needs your help. You do not have to look but I need you to heal him. I will help you direct the spell."  
Windy nodded slowly, oh the action made her stomach churn. It was the most disgusting thing she had ever seen, how were the other two so comfortable around it? "Tell me when," Windy's voice was so soft it was barely a whisper.

"Helen," Seraphina said with a glance to Hex, "Move the compress off the wound. It will work best without anything in the way.  
Hex's hand jerked back when the yeti hissed and nearly sat up. Oh there was so much blood on him, around him and seeping from the wound. What had caused it? It didn't really matter; Hex just couldn't believe what she was seeing. For the first time in a long while she saw the effect of pain on another individual. The yeti's eyes met hers and held her gaze; the plea in them was so strong Hex swore she could hear him begging for it all to end. She saw Slam Bam in the yeti; this creature wasn't a copy of him but rather a free living yeti that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hex took one of his hands and noted how it strangely brought him some comfort. She turned her gaze back to Seraphina; the Hexling had gently taken Whirlwind's head in her hands and was talking quietly to the hybrid as she directed her healing light.

Before Hex's eyes the wound began to close. Blood stopped flowing and flesh knitted itself. The yeti groaned a few times and moved weakly but otherwise remained docile. After a while all that was left of the wound was the blood he had lost over healed, scar free skin. Hex didn't care about the fabric gauntlet she wore and placed her hand on the yeti's midsection to wipe away excess blood. She felt nothing but his smooth skin and looked back to the Whirlwindling with a new sense of respect.  
"You did it," Seraphina was saying to the hybrid. "He made it. You can open your eyes now."

Windy did so and saw first the other Hexling staring at her then the tired and grateful smile from the yeti. He gave her thumbs up before he groaned and put his head back down. "I have never healed anyone that was that bad before," Windy said. Her wings and ears were both held down low. "I'm tired."  
"Rest," Seraphina replied with a hug. "You did well, thank you for doing what I could not."  
"Is he a friend of yours?" Windy asked as she lay down on her belly and put her chin on her paws.  
Seraphina shook her head, "I do not even know his name. But I know he is grateful for your help. His loved ones will be too."  
Windy watched the yeti sleep and glanced up at the Hexling still dressed as Hex when she rose to her feet.  
"Thank you," Seraphina said. "If you had not found her…"  
"Thank you," Hex said as if the words were strange and a surprise to hear herself say. "I think I understand things more." Still she knew Eon wanted her to see more, she no longer hated the Hexling at least. Maybe she would be able to earn Hex's respect after all. Maybe. "She's asleep," Hex pointed to Windy.  
"Let her rest, she has earned it. We have more wounded to tend to."

"What happened to you?" Anicetus gasped as he ran to his sister. Seraphina was a mess, she was covered in blood and the robe she wore had so many holes in it that it was hardly covering her. "Are you alright?" the prince asked as he hugged her.  
Seraphina returned the embrace wearily. "I am fine; I have no wounds of my own. I have been tending to others."  
"We have been helping clear out the last of the drow and pull out wounded from rubble," Anicetus informed his sister.  
Seraphina nodded then looked past him to Meilyr; the gremlin was holding his right arm close to him and seemed to wince when he breathed. "Are you alright, Meilyr?"  
Anicetus moved to his sister's side and gave Hex a quick glance, so far she had been quiet. "He broke bones in the attack and used his potions on others that needed them more."  
"Pop Fizz doesn't have healing potions," Hex pointed out.  
"I do, I mixed them myself," he cringed as he moved carefully closer to Seraphina. "I exhausted the enchantment on my pack, it stopped multiplying the potions. I will have to wait for it to recharge before more are available to me."

"Broken bones?" Seraphina asked as she moved in to take Meilyr's arm.  
The gremlin cringed as she touched it. "The one potion I took healed it partially. I think it is just a fracture now."  
"Bone I can heal," Seraphina said.  
"You have only dark magic, how can you expect to heal anything?" Hex asked.  
"Ingenuity," Seraphina replied. "Relax Meilyr," she said softly while stroking the Fizzling's cheek. "Trust me."  
"I do, I just have a hard time trusting your powers," the gremlin squirmed.  
"Be still!" Hex snapped. "I must see this," she murmured as she hovered in close to watch.

Meilyr narrowed his eyes at Hex but stilled himself regardless. He could feel his heart up in his throat and the blood pounding in his ears, how was it no one else heard it? Seraphina's fingers were stroking his arm gently and Meilyr's eyes followed her every motion. He felt a strange tingle and a pinch, the gremlin bit his lip as the feeling began to spread through his arm and became quite uncomfortable. "It hurts," he whimpered.  
"Shh," Seraphina soothed him. "A moment more." She had such a look of concentration on her face and Meilyr could feel exactly how much strength she was putting into the spell she was using. After several minutes Seraphina let Meilyr's arm go.  
The gremlin lift his arm, flexed his hand and bent his elbow as he rotated his shoulder. "No pain. What did you do?"

Hex's eyes were wide, "You used the bone wall enchantment to regrow his own bone! I have never thought of such an application for it before!" The surprise on Hex's face made others mirror it, for her to so readily admit someone had found a use for her powers she hadn't yet discovered was hardly believable.  
"My uh, ribs are cracked too," Meilyr said as he turned away from Hex and back to Seraphina. "I cannot breathe too deeply."  
"I can fix your ribs, any internal damage from broken bones is beyond me and should still get you in line to see a healer," Seraphina offered.  
"You…must teach me this," Hex said slowly.  
"Then I will lead you through all I do," the princess offered.

By the time things on Fetter Foothold had been taken care of the sun was once again setting. Seraphina stood with her brother, Meilyr and Hex on the docks awaiting a ship with a handful of other Skylanders. Eon's flagship had departed a few hours prior once the wounded and children had been remedied and a few assorted Cores remained for the cleanup effort. Hex stood a little closer to the trio but still preferred to keep her distance. She had begun to make fewer comments on how the others acted; their participation in not only the battle but the aftermath had bought them a reprieve from her scathing comments.

"Light am I tired," Meilyr groaned as he ran his hands over his face. "Did we sleep last night?"  
Seraphina's reply came before anyone else's, "No, we slept this morning and into the afternoon. Then we woke up to battle drow and make the hub inhabitable again." She was once again dressed in her evening gown but her hair was down rather than styled and curled. "We will miss Rafer and Teranika tonight." She looked back to the banks of destroyed terminals; she still didn't know how to get to Kaelin.

Anicetus seemed to know exactly what his sister was thinking. "You could send yourself back to Earth and your Portal Master could bring you back to his island. You would be able to meet with Rafer and Teranika. Then reach a hub."  
Seraphina shook her head, "I cannot leave Hex. Eon made it clear she is to stay with me until further word. To slide out like that would be taken as me going against him." Seraphina looked back to Hex; the Core could hear her clearly and so far was simply listening. "That is not who I am."

"There are times when your insistence to do things as they are laid out is irritating, you know," Anicetus told her. "And there are times when you break all the rules. I have learned that the path you choose is always the better one. So I will trust you in this matter. Meilyr," Anicetus turned to the Fizzling, "Stay with Seraphina. I will see if I can make contact with Rafer and Teranika myself."  
"Oh wait, no, Ani. You cannot simply expect me to be able to handle both of them!"  
"I am and you will." Anicetus gave a wave to Meilyr then embraced his sister quickly before he simply vanished.  
"Coward!" Meilyr called out even if the prince wouldn't hear him. He looked at Hex and Hexling then gave a nervous smile. "Well ladies, it looks like it will be just the three of us."  
"I can barely contain my excitement," Hex droned.

Crevan had made it back to the meeting point for Teranika and Rafer but didn't find any of the contacts he had made through Seraphina waiting. There was time still; it wasn't an exact science that the two would arrive at the same time each day. The Fizzling moved towards a bench in the park and took a seat. He had come prepared this time and threw out seeds for the birds in the area. It was peaceful and for the most part Crevan had kept his days in Skylands quiet. A few mabu children ran by with a lone elf child, they squealed happily as they chased after the ball they were kicking about. Their mothers, or in the case of the elf child the father, walked along with them talking animatedly amongst themselves and laughing. The children gave a wave to the lone Skylander and the mothers sent him warm smiles as they followed the younglings.

This island chain was normally peaceful; it was a series of seven fairly large bits of land linked by bridges. The second largest island, the one Crevan was on, had been dedicated to parks. Paths stretched out across it for joggers, walkers and other such trailblazers. Dotting large open areas were playscapes for the children and paved courts for sports. With the weather fairly warm and mild it wasn't a surprise to see so many people out enjoying the early evening. After a while Crevan spotted two familiar figures walking his way. This time they were dressed differently with the Flameslingerling resembling a ranger from the area of Skylands Crevan hailed from and the Stealth Elfling dressed as a noble. It had to be Teranika and Rafer; there was no doubt in Crevan's mind. The Fizzling tossed out the last of his seed and stepped around the birds to greet them.

"Crevan?" Rafer asked. He smiled when the Fizzling dipped into a bow. "You missed a very eventful party last night."  
"My apologies, I did not see the invitation until this morning when I returned. I also found a message from Kaelin. Did he and Seraphina meet up?"  
"I am unsure, I found him just before Sam pulled us out of Skylands. I can only hope," Teranika replied.  
"Well, care to join me while we wait for the others?" Crevan asked. "I would love to hear all about this party."  
Rafer laughed and ran a hand over the back of his head, "You are in for a tale, my friend."

Anicetus had been returned to Skylands nearly as soon as he had left. Issac was about to enter Skylands himself when the Ignitorling called to him for help getting back in. The red haired, fair skinned and freckle faced man had re-forged his connection easily and stood next to him as he waited for the balloon he had hailed to land.  
"Of course I will speak to you sister's Portal Master. I'll gladly pass him the honor of being your Portal Master," Issac was saying.  
"Or Seraphina can be moved here, whichever path works better," Anicetus told him with the nod of his head.

"I have a request," Issac said slowly. "I would like to meet some of your friends. I want to start getting involved in your searches."  
The Ignitorling turned to his Portal Master just as the balloon set down, "Tonight it will possibly be a small meeting but you are more than welcome to join me."  
"Thank you, Anicetus," he smiled.  
The Ignitorling nodded to the mabu pilot as he and Issac stepped aboard the balloon. "Thank you for your understanding. Really the largest request I have for you is to find my other sister Eloryn."

"You know," Issac began once the two were on board and Anicetus had given the pilot the destination, "I have an older half-brother. When my parents separated I lost contact with him when he went with my mother and I stayed with my father and sister. For a while we exchanged words over the phone when my mother bothered to return our calls. Then he got older as did I and we just stopped talking. I found him last year purely by chance. My mother became estranged and stopped making the effort to speak to me and my sister or it might never have happened." Issac paused and shook his head, "Sorry, I forgot where I was going with the story. The point is I can understand your desire to find your sister and I will do everything in my power to help."

Anicetus was just as quiet as the mabu pilot. "I never really thought that similar issues affected other families," the prince said at last. "I had this naïve view of the world in which unless something terrible like the banishment of the Skylanders happened families would remain whole."  
Issac smirked at him, "Well I had this naïve view of the world in which magic and incredible creatures _didn't_ exist. They were the tales we told our children to entertain them and keep their minds open." The Portal Master laughed, "I do believe we've stunned our poor pilot into silence."  
"Unless I'm involved, I'm not gonna stick my nose into deep, thought-provoking topics. None of my business anyway," he said while adjusting the ball cap he wore.  
"Well we are done with the topic anyway," Anicetus said. "I would rather not have my mood heavy by the time I arrive."  
"Amen," Issac replied as he turned his eyes out to the dark skies and their floating islands. "Amen."

It was a sizeable ship and very reminiscent of Flynn's Dread-Yacht with a patchwork deck and aging fixtures but Hex didn't complain. Light was dim on deck, the moon provided most of it when it peeked out from behind clouds. Otherwise the only source of light was the scant few lanterns on deck that swung and creaked in the wind. Hex remained closer to the two Skylanders she was traveling with than the ship's other passengers but still had an air of solitude to her. The Pop Fizzling Meilyr was sitting with his back to a wall atop a crate with his feet propped up on another crate. The Hexling Seraphina was hovering nearby and leaning on the rail. She was talking to the Fizzling and wore a smile, he would comment from time to time and illicit any number of reactions from the Hexling ranging from laughter, scowls and shrugs. They spoke of home and people they knew and their plight as Skylanders. Hex had never bothered to listen to any of the clones and was surprised with herself for realizing they had things just as rough as she did. Everyone lost something, individuality was the most common shared item. Hex _had_ spent too much time brooding and feeling sorry for herself to understand she wasn't alone. That still didn't change her mind about the way it chafed being assigned to follow people she didn't know who seemed content to let her stay in the role of the stray dog following them home.

"What about you," Meilyr said to Hex, "I know you can hear us. What about home do you miss?"  
"Nothing," Hex said with narrowed eyes.  
"Nothing, what do you mean 'nothing'?" he probed. "Is it because you are not truly separated from home and may return at will?"  
"So positive," Hex snorted. "No, I have not been home since well before Kaos banished us. I was not always undead; a quest to stop a great evil forced this mockery of life upon me. And when I returned home, do you know what I found? Ostracization and fear. In the eyes of my village I had become a malevolent and twisted creature that had no part in their normal lives. So I left and sought to protect those that wield magic from sharing my fate when their power drew the attention of that which changed me forever." She looked at the two clones, he Fizzling looked away uncomfortably but she swore she saw sympathy in the Hexling's eyes.

"When I returned home," Seraphina began, "My parents wept both out of relief of finding me and the twist fate had delivered to my status as a Skylander. I did not lose their love, I lost my identity though. No longer did I possess the gift of healing that has been present in my family for generations. My siblings were still missing, my betrothed was taken from me and several of my dearest friends were unaccounted for. Everything I had ever known had been turned on its head suddenly. My freedom was limited based on my Portal Master's ability to keep the connection active. I was faced with the fact either I would have to adapt or give up. I chose to adapt."

"You cannot possibly expect to compare what you experienced to my own. Even before the change I had to work hard for everything I got. It wasn't simply just handed to me unlike to a spoiled princess." Meilyr got up in a hurry and excused himself, he wanted no part of the storm he saw brewing.  
Seraphina glided up towards the crates Meilyr had been perched on before she rearranged them and offered Hex one to sit with her. "I did not ask to be born a princess, that is simply the hand I was dealt." She watched Hex reluctantly take the seat before she continued. "I chose to handle things my way. Yes, I led a life of privilege but I did not want it to make me soft. When I turned thirteen I informed my parents I wanted to become a priestess. Their reaction was as expected," the princess grinned fondly. "My father fell silent, my mother looked thoughtful."

_"You realize of course that you would be stripped of all titles when you became a novice. No recognition, no special treatment. You would be subject to their rigorous schedule without any time to yourself for your own desires," dark haired King Hayden said at last. His gaze never left his blonde haired, willowy daughter and her straight-backed posture._  
_"Yes, Daddy," Seraphina said with a curtsy. "I understand. This is what I want. I am a natural healer and the clergy can help me make full use of my skills."_  
_"You will not be living in the palace while indentured to the Order, Sera," the blonde haired Queen Delyth added. "You will find yourself in the Order's dorms among other hopefuls. Your companions will be mixed and you will have no control over who you have in your company."_

_"I understand, Mother," Seraphina curtsied again. "I want to do this; I want to help others with my skill. I do not want to be the wall flower my whole life. I want to feel like I have earned all I have."_  
_Hayden made a thoughtful noise as he shifted in his seat. Seraphina had requested a meeting with them in the audience chamber rather than simply speaking to them that morning during breakfast. "Allow us the remainder of the day to ponder your request. I suggest you take this time to carefully examine what it is that you seek. In the morning we will have an answer for you, Daughter."_  
_"Thank you, Mother and Father," the young princess curtsied one last time and waited for her parents to dismiss her._

"I failed to spend any time that day reflecting upon my request. I knew it was what I wanted and I eagerly met every challenge presented to me. I met one of my best friends there, Galvin Killian. He is a Skylander as well and apparently traveling with Kaelin currently. It was through my travels with the clergy that I met Kaelin Alistair, then the prince of Haven and successor to the throne of King Saeron. He is a Riderling now and we were to be married before Kaos sprang that assault and banishment. This is my life now, traveling from island to island as I search for those I have lost and ferreting out Kaos's cronies."  
"The same as any other Skylander," Hex added. The princess had an interesting back story, perhaps she wasn't all that spoiled after all. "Very well, I understand you becoming the priestess but why a Skylander?" Her first thought was over-achiever but Hex held her tongue.  
"Kaos threatened the peace of my kingdom and those surrounding it. I saw an opportunity to make a difference and put to use what I had learned. Even if my combat training with the Order was not terribly practical around the application of technology I could still heal and provide protection for those that were on the front lines. I went first and others followed, we all had our various reasons."

"Tell me something," Hex said as she made herself more comfortable on the crates, "why would your father, a king, allow all of his heirs as I am assuming there are only three of you, join the Skylanders? Before this banishment death would have been possible and all too permanent."  
Seraphina shifted as well, "That is a question for my father. Though I would assume now he regrets it."  
"Your brother will not be able to rule as king if he cannot focus on Skylands. He wouldn't be able to father an heir. You would not be able to provide heirs for Kaelin," Hex told her.  
"I am undead as is he," Seraphina nodded. "And the banishment…" Seraphina fell silent for a while. "One of Sean's other Skylanders recently found his sister, also a Skylander. She was pregnant when she was banished. She is pregnant no more. The child was lost the moment she became someone else even though she is not an undead. There is no hope for any of us."

"I had no idea," Hex said slowly. She hated what had happened to her and always thought other Skylanders had it better, to find out how wrong she was gave her a pain in her chest she had thought behind her.  
The princess studied Hex for a while, being a Core she certainly was out of touch with events. "You can come out now, Meilyr," Seraphina said louder. "No one killed anyone."  
"I was rather enjoying his absence," Hex sighed when the Fizzling slowly re-emerged.

With the fall of night came the wind, a howling beast that rattled the branches of trees and made them creak and groan with it. There was no scent of rain on the wind, simply a spring wind that had chased the rain through quickly the previous night. Crevan walked alongside Teranika and Rafer, the trio had opted to remain in the park for a while hoping those they were awaiting were running late. The grounds were otherwise deserted save for a few joggers just now finding the time after their long days for recreation.

"After that point I joined King Faolan's army as one of the alchemists ensuring the soldiers remained healthy. Then a recruiter for the Skylanders passed through and extended an invitation to me. From there you know the general story," Crevan finished telling the couple.  
"I think we were recruited at about the same time," Rafer nodded. "Personally I had never considered it before that point."  
Teranika moved a strand of hair from her face, she had it pulled back but the wind had tugged some loose. "Seraphina sought out the recruiter and we…followed her. Her siblings were looked into when the recruiter was impressed with her." The Stealthling giggled, "She then suggested Kaelin and the recruiter made a special trip to Haven to look into this prince recommended by the princess turned priestess that had brought him so many other wonderful entrants. My parents were surprised but supportive in my choice."  
"Ah my dear, you are a grown woman and capable of making your own decisions. I cannot imagine it was what they saw in your future but it was a wonderful venture nonetheless." Crevan's smile turned into a surprised look as his gaze moved beyond the park island and towards one of the residential ones. "Something is amiss, do you see the smoke?" he pointed for Teranika and Rafer.  
The archer squinted; just barely against the black of the sky could he make out the tendrils of smoke rising. There was a glow in that direction that seemed unfamiliar and out of place. "Come, there may be aid we can offer." Rafer hardly waited for his companions to agree before he was trotting off in the other island's direction.

"Set the balloon down as close to the fire as you can," Anicetus urged the balloon pilot.  
"Now lad, it's dangerous in this wind to get too close to it."  
"Then set down upwind as close as possible." The Ignitorling was pacing about in the basket and shifting the weight of it around erratically.  
"Sir Portal Master, please control your Skylander before he alters our course with his weight slinging!" the mabu requested of Issac.  
"Anicetus, please. We are nearly there and your actions aren't going to make us arrive any sooner." Issac reached out to grasp the Ignitorling by the shoulder, his hand slid right through the solid Skylander and left Issac simply standing there holding a hand out.  
"I can stop that fire," Anicetus banged a fist against his chest with the ring of metal. "And if it was caused by Kaos's minions the residents will need further assistance."  
"You don't think I care about the blaze?" the pilot growled, "This wind is going to throw us into it if I cannot control the balloon. I can't even see any activity in the area I want to land to ensure nothing's waiting for us!"

Anicetus drummed his fingers on the cross piece of his sword, he was itching to leap into action be it against the fire or something else.  
"Do you have a fire department or first response team?" Issac asked as he leaned over the basket's edge. He couldn't feel the wind any more than he could smell the fire in his state as a holographic projection. The only senses he had available to him were sight and sound.  
"We do," the mabu pilot replied, "it seems help has yet to arrive." He maneuvered his balloon carefully on the edge of the island when he found an area he felt suitable for his needs.  
"They are slow," Anicetus growled. The balloon was obviously landing but he couldn't wait. He climbed onto the edge of the basket then leapt down to the grass. He rolled to absorb the shock and was on his feet easily before he ran across the land to reach the epicenter.  
"I told you to keep him under control!" the pilot snapped when the balloon lurched and changed direction against his will.

"He has a strong will," Issac sighed. He didn't feel the rocking of the balloon, his holographic image would stabilize itself during the basket's careening but the Portal Master instinctively tried to right himself anyway. He felt for the prince and all he had been through but sometimes even the Portal Master grew annoyed with the Ignitorling. He and Anicetus were going to have a little chat once things were back to normal.  
"I don't like those embers one bit. I'm holding your Skylander responsible for anything that happens to my balloon," the pilot muttered when the wind once again forced him off course.


	8. A Little Bit of Understanding

**A Little Bit of Understanding**

Sean had kept himself out of Skylands the whole of the day following his all-nighter. Things on his island were well underway and the lair was getting a much needed remodeling with lockers and quarters for his Skylanders. His benefactors for the remodel had surprised most of his Skylanders but none would be more surprised than Seraphina once Sean could contact her, her constant traveling had made it impossible for him to reach out to her currently. The Portal Master had decided he was going to keep his connection open constantly for his Skylanders as most had figured out on their own by then. Fear had been the reason he didn't do it before, Sean was unsure how the friend he was renting out a room in his home to would react to the portal and what lay beyond it. He had given his friend too little credit and after talking it over was relieved to learn Marcus wouldn't interfere with the focal point of magic.

Sean pushed his glasses up and rubbed his eyes, he'd been looking at the computer screen for too long. He wasn't simply doing work as his contract with his place of employment required. Rather he had gone back to scouring the various Skylander forums for names his Skylanders had given him of those they searched for. There were multiple organizations that brought Skylanders together through Portal Masters and each one had their own ways on how to access information to protect both Skylanders and their current Portal Masters. Sean had just slid his glasses back into place when something on the screen caught his attention. The largest exchange network had launched a new feature; every once in a while Portal Masters would send them Skylanders without a pending trade from someone else. The website had a sizeable inventory of un-owned Skylanders that were up for adoption by Portal Masters holding someone the adoptable Skylander was looking for. All the Portal Masters had to do was send a donation to keep the website active and pay for shipping once they proved they possessed a qualifying Skylander. Once cleared they could add the warehouse Skylander to their collection for a reunion with a loved one. This way those looking for rare Skylanders to resell at exorbitant prices found it much harder to turn a profit on the poor cursed individuals.

"Eloryn," Sean said aloud when he entered Seraphina's name into the warehouse search and the all too familiar one popped up. The princess, Seraphina's younger sister, was sitting in a warehouse awaiting someone to find her. Sean's computer chair creaked as he sat back in it. He ran a hand over his mouth and held it there as he read her information. Eloryn was a Flashwingling looking for her family. For the sake of privacy none of the names were listed but since Sean was logged in and had registered all the Skylanders he had it had given him her name as a point of interest. Her previous Portal Master wanted to help her find who she sought but didn't have the resources to keep her in Skylands long enough to be of use. As much good as the website did for Skylanders it did state that individuals in the warehouse weren't able to roam Skylands unless an application for adoption was filed first. From there a meeting between warehouse Skylander and applicant Skylander would be arranged before anything could be finalized. Sean didn't hesitate for a moment before he clicked the link to send his application. The donation and shipping fees were easy to cover and were nothing compared to reuniting the sisters. He could hardly contain his excitement and looked to where he had set his portal in his home office. Maybe later he would let her know, once he himself had more information.

By the time Anicetus had made his way from the balloon to the island proper several homes were engulfed in flames. The neighborhood families stood outside watching the inferno destroy everything they owned while young children from one home cried and screamed over lost comfort items.  
Anicetus hadn't even bothered to ask what had happened. The Ignitorling's arrival prompted a dirt shark woman to run up to him screaming about someone being trapped in the house. She said it wasn't her family but rather someone that had gone in to help her husband, her husband emerged from the home but not his savior. Currently the Ignitorling was picking his way carefully through debris in what used to be a living room. The fire itself wouldn't harm him but the falling beams from the ceiling would. Anicetus had already received a dent in his right shoulder pauldron when part of the second floor gave way and a large dresser had fallen on him. Luck alone had the dresser only manage a glancing blow, had he become pinned Anicetus would have to remain there until the fire had consumed the object holding him down. There was no sign of anyone else in the house that Anicetus could see so who was the woman talking about?

Just when he was about to give up Anicetus saw movement beyond the flames and outside of the home if he had seen right. Something darted by again, unafraid of the inferno. The Ignitorling stepped over what had been a sofa at one time to wind through a fallen door frame into the kitchen. He saw the flash of movement again, this time dark against the flames covering the bushes outside the window. Anicetus stepped into the back yard and through smoldering remains of grass. Sap from the trees and bushes hissed and popped when the fire's heat made it boil and bubble out of the bark while leaves blackened and shriveled up. Only then did Anicetus realize something, the flames around him had begun to swirl upwards in a vortex like a funnel cloud made of fire. Perplexed Anicetus stood still until he had seen the shape race by multiple times. The fire was contained; it didn't spread past the boundaries set up by the tornado-like cyclone.

Carefully Anicetus moved through the remains of a fence until he could see the edge of the blaze. He waited a few more times for the streak to pass by while he counted. The fourth time the blur passed him Anicetus stepped out of the flames. He was greeted with more residents watching and pointing. Neighbors had begun to fill buckets to douse the ground, outlaying plants and even homes to protect them as they awaited someone to put out the blaze itself. Now that he better understood what was happening the prince went to work. His role as an Ignitorling gifted him with pyrokinetic abilities which he intended to exercise to their fullest.

Teranika continued to move the crowd back; it was hard when so many people were afraid their own homes would be next. Crevan and Rafer had moved off to contain the fire in other ways, Crevan had used an assortment of potions to create a gel that stopped the fire from spreading and was madly working to use it as an extinguisher for anything beyond the main fire. He had recruited residents to help him apply the potion he could make on the spot thanks to the enchantment of his pack and its seemingly never-ending supply of ingredients.  
Rafer was more flamboyant in his efforts, as he was an exact copy of Flameslinger so too did he possess the boots that gave the most famous Skylander archer incredible speed. He circled the burning buildings quickly enough to draw the wind into a whirling inferno. The flames climbed ever higher into the sky but they never drifted out to engulf the nearby structures.

"Please stay back!" Teranika called to nervous residents. The night was bright with shades of red and orange. Teranika herself seemed to be orange skinned at the moment and her hair shone bright with yellow highlights from the fire. She felt as if she could be doing more but didn't have much to offer at the moment. Her task was simply to watch the residents and ensure none bolted into their homes to bring things out they feared losing. She had faith Rafer could keep the blaze he had whipped up contained but still they couldn't risk having someone hide in their home when it was so close to the fire. The fire, as Teranika watched she was amazed to see it letting go of the homes, trees and shrubs. It seemed to simply lift up off all flammable surfaces. Without fuel to keep the blaze going the flames began to die.

Confused Rafer stopped dead in his tracks. He stamped out some of the flames that trailed him from the use of the boots but watched as the majority seemed to take flight before they winked out like a candle that had been snuffed. The ranger turned his neck skyward, without his efforts the vortex of wind broke down against the howling of the wind that had fanned the fire before his arrival. The night grew quieter and darker as the fire seemingly abandoned buildings and plants alike.  
"How peculiar," Crevan said slightly out of breath as he trotted up to Rafer with the potions in his hands sloshing. The gremlin looked to be covered in a thick slime. Parts of his fur had been singed and the smell of burnt hair lingered about him.  
Rafer pointed to the glaring lack of fire on any of the surrounding structures. "Is that an effect of one of your potions?" the elf asked.  
Crevan shook his head, "No. I had nothing to do with that. I am not complaining either. The fire was too close for comfort most of the time."  
Rafer stomped his feet in the grass, it was still scorched and blackened but the flames were simply gone without excessive use of the Fizzling's retardant potion. "I cannot tell how the fire started but it looks to have been an accident." Rafer grabbed the front of his shirt and fanned himself, light it was hot. The fire may not burn him thanks to his kinship with it but it still made him sweat. Voices drew the archer's attention back towards the front of the houses. He looked to Crevan then a few of the residents that had been helping the gremlin before they trotted back around to where the majority of the crowds had gathered.

Fire marshals had finally arrived and milled about in confusion at the burned out remains of homes. The fire hadn't consumed everything and not everything was drenched by water or the Fizzling's potions. How had the blaze been quelled so quickly?  
"It was the Skylanders!" one of the residents shouted. "They stopped it and saved our homes!"  
"They saved our lives," another called out. "My husband would have died in there without them!"  
"It's all my fault," a child wailed somewhere. "Mommy and daddy always told me not to play with that lantern."

Anicetus quietly walked back out towards the crowd. After moving systematically through yards to ensure the fire had all been dislodged he decided to rejoin the spectators. He had a feeling of which other Skylanders he was hearing about and wasn't let down when he saw a Flameslingerling and Pop Fizzling meet up with a Stealth Elfling. The two elves were dressed as people he knew all too well. "I thought I might meet you here," Anicetus called out to them.  
"So that was _you_," Teranika gasped. "Very inspiring." She trotted up to throw her arms around her cousin.  
"I was impressed with Rafer's ingenuity myself," Anicetus replied. The Ignitorling gave the Stealthling a quick hug before he let her go. "Light Tera, you are burning up. How long have you been near the fire?"  
"Too long," she admitted. The elf looked behind her, most of the people standing around were nearly drenched in sweat but none had the will to move back.  
"Crevan looks like a drowned rat," Anicetus's flames took on the soft yellow they had when he was lighthearted in humor.  
"I nearly set myself on fire once or twice, the potions were all that saved me," the Fizzling replied with a sigh. He knew his fur was standing up in odd angles and the gel was thicker in some areas than others.

To the side the fire marshals were speaking to residents about what had happened. A young mabu pointed to the Skylanders and a marshal turned to approach them. "Excuse me," the elven marshal interjected. "I'm going to need to talk to you and make a report about what happened here. Can you spare a few moments of your time?"  
"Of course," Anicetus answered before anyone else could.

"I would have thought you might take your leave," Anicetus said when he found Issac waiting for him near the balloon's final landing spot. "Forgive me for running off. I saw an event in which I could help."  
"You owe me for the balloon," the pilot growled. "Embers caught it and look!" He pointed to the fabric lying in the grass. A large charred section showed jagged along the side and showed the balloon's interior clearly. "This is my main source of income, have you no respect?" he hissed.  
"I can see it replaced," Issac offered.  
"Oh no, no," the pilot shook his head as he walked up to Anicetus. He gave the other three Skylanders a brief look before he focused on his target. "I want _this one_ to replace it. I won't take gold from anyone else!"  
Anicetus's flames turned an odd sort of pink before they went blood red, he inhaled to reply but before he could Rafer cut him off, "Ah, yes. He can replace your balloon sir. Forgive us for not having the blaze under control sooner."  
The pilot looked to the Flameslingerling and snorted, "Ain't your fault this one decided to leap out of the balloon all willy-nilly and give it a rough jolt right into danger.

Again Anicetus was about to say something, he raised a hand and pointed at the mabu pilot but Rafer placed a gloved hand on his wrist and pushed it down. The prince made a grunt. "What do balloons go for?" he asked instead.  
"Depends on what you want. Size, perks, quality." He looked back to his balloon, "I want what I had, nothing less."  
Anicetus sighed, "Give me the information on where to send the gold and come with me to a hub to ensure the transaction clears." The pilot nodded to himself in a self-satisfied way and it only further irritated Anicetus.  
"I will come with you back to the hub then take my leave," Issac said suddenly. "I have somewhere to be shortly."

"Did you speak to Kaelin? He was on the ship last night. I met him just before Sam cut our connection," Teranika said as she waited with the other Skylanders, Anicetus's Portal Master and the mabu pilot.  
Anicetus didn't want to speak in front of the pilot about personal matters but luckily his reply would be short and to the point. "We found someone he and Galvin had traveled with but did not find either of them. It is possible their connection too was severed."  
"Galvin was on the ship as well? Neither of them found you? That is so sad," Teranika said in a tone to match.  
"Do you know how to reach him?" Rafer questioned.  
"I can continue the search on my end if you have anything for me to go on," Issac offered.

"We made it to Fetter Foothold this morning," Anicetus paused and looked to the pilot. "Kaos retaliated. The hub was destroyed and we spent the majority of the day helping with cleanup. I left Seraphina and Meilyr behind so I could try and race here to meet you with news. I have nothing more than what the pilot told me and what you know."  
"Why did they not come with you?" Crevan inquired.  
Anicetus shifted on his feet, "Hex is still with them." Issac had not heard that bit of information before and was just as surprised by it as Crevan.  
"We apparently have much to discuss," Crevan whistled. "Nothing that cannot wait?"  
"Nothing that cannot wait," Anicetus agreed while looking to the pilot. The mabu snorted and shook his head; he had little interest in Skylander business. He just wanted his balloon back and wasn't thrilled with having to wait until morning to find a replacement.

Hex was drowsy but fought sleep. Her two temporary companions were already sleeping right on the deck of the ship. It told her they were used to long days traveling and no strangers to adventure. In a short amount of time she had developed a certain level of respect for the Hexling that had so infuriated her the night before. The Fizzling though was another story and his current snoring wasn't helping. Hex formed a very small phantom orb and discreetly launched it at the gremlin. It hit him in the shoulder and startled him awake with a snort. Hex was already reclined by that point and still. Meilyr looked around trying to figure out what it had been for a while before he simply gave up and went back to sleep. The snoring had stopped for a while. Hex had nearly fallen asleep herself when a noise on deck roused her. She was surprised to find the Whirlwindling from earlier sitting next to her. "What do you want?" Hex asked.

Windy's jaws cracked in a tremendous yawn and her ears swiveled back with the action. "How long have I been sleeping?" She caught a chill and shivered against the night wind before her feathered wings were tucked tightly against her for warmth.  
"Since you boarded," Hex replied simply. The other Skylander had really worn herself out first in healing then cleaning up debris. She still had heavy eyelids but seemed determined to stay up and make conversation. The Whirlwindling had almost missed the ship; she hadn't been among the number waiting on it and ran aboard at the last moment only to tuck herself in a corner and sleep.  
"How long has it been?" Windy asked with another yawn. She clicked her tongue a few times then lay down by the Skylander she still didn't know was the real Hex.  
"I don't know, three or four hours," Hex replied sourly. "I am tired myself. Isn't there someone else you could bother?" She never got her answer, Windy had fallen asleep again. "Oh thank the stars," Hex sighed with the roll of her eyes. The ship was moving a lot slower than any of the traveling Skylanders would like but that was the price they paid when portals weren't easily accessible.

In the middle of the night Never-sleep Nexus was eerily quiet with only a handful of active Skylanders and the night watch present. The pilot of the balloon Anicetus ruined had been paid and was thoroughly unimpressed by Anicetus's status when he learned it. The ball cap wearing mabu had made it clear that Anicetus was no more special than any other Skylander in his eyes. He did however criticize the prince for his hasty actions and their repercussions. But he had his gold and could replace the balloon that was destroyed. He had enough to buy two balloons now if he wanted and expand his business.  
Issac too had taken his leave after exchanging information with the three Skylanders he had met through Anicetus. Plans were in the works to try and get the Meir Valan elves back together now that Issac had taken an active part in Anicetus's affairs.

"I see no point to travel anywhere else," Crevan said after the group had finished discussing what to do with the rest of their night over a late night meal. The dinner itself they sat in was a sleepy establishment with only two other patrons carrying on a quiet conversation across the room. "It is late and while Lady Teranika and Sir Rafer have become nocturnal I myself am feeling a long day's travel." The Fizzling stacked his plate with the empty one Anicetus had insisted be set before him to make it look more normal.  
Anicetus nodded his agreement; his flames seemed muted to further prove he was weary as well. "The past two days have been long; you will have to excuse me if I am not too terribly social." He had one gauntlet up on the table pushing around a carrot that had fallen from someone's plate with the other gauntlet cradling the side of his helm.

Teranika scowled into the napkin she had just dabbed at the corners of her mouth, "I really wish we had better active times. It seems everyone else is up and about during the day while we have been stuck with the night." She was mad at herself for the irritation she felt over the other two Skylanders obviously looking to retire for the night. The Stealthling abandoned the napkin and instead went for the tea pot to pour herself another cup. She poured fast and sloshed it over the table without batting an eye as Rafer and Crevan leapt into action and placed napkins down to clean it.  
Anicetus raised a hand; he could tell his cousin was upset. "Let me at least share with Crevan the details left out when the pilot was around. Then we will separate for the night."  
Rafer draped an arm around Teranika and drew her in close once she had set the tea pot down. He drifted back to events of the party without informing anyone of his thoughts, "I had never been in the company of so many Cores at once. You really can tell when you are near the Skylander you were cloned from," the archer began. "It is a feeling, hard to explain but should you meet your originals you will know. All I did was walk by Flameslinger and I just knew. The other Slingerling present did not have the same sort of vibration."  
"I regret not being around sooner," the gremlin smirked.

Windy blinked sleep out of her eyes when she was shaken awake. The molekin that had roused her waddled over to awaken the other Skylanders on his ship. With a yawn and stretch she climbed to her feet, it was still dark outside and Windy felt so very out of it. Was she going to be able to get a decent amount of sleep? Her neck was stiff as was one of her legs, the ship's deck made for a poor spot to bed down.  
"This is as far as I go," the pilot was explaining to Meilyr when the gremlin asked him why they had stopped. "You can rent rooms at the local inn for the night and continue your journeys to where ever on new transports. I'm home and plan to stay here for a while."

"Light," Seraphina murmured as she got to her feet. She had just realized this was the second straight night she had been in Skylands. Come to think of it, it was also the second day she had been stuck in the dress from the party. Not that she was complaining, about still being in Skylands at least, but why was Sean leaving the connection open constantly? The princess stretched and suppressed a yawn as she glided towards the ramp and island beyond. She didn't recognize the place but Skylands was large enough for her to not have seen everything there was. The princess rubbed sleep from her eyes and blinked into the darkness to make out the road before she began to follow it. She had no idea where she was going, just that it was towards town and from there into an inn to sleep through the remainder of the night and find a warm bath when she awoke. Behind her came the three other members of her party as well as five Skylanders she remembered seeing at Eon's celebration. Of them only Samuel the Prism Breakling was known to her.

The town was obviously a molekin settlement; all of the buildings were carved either from the stone or made of adobe with a few stone block buildings for larger, more pronounced buildings. Grass was sparse and seemed to grow only in small clumps of stiff bristles in random areas. More common were bulbous cacti decorated with pink and yellow flowers. The dirt was more sand and stone than anything else; it was obvious the island was a very arid place though without much to hold the temperature it was rather crisp in the night air.  
"There," Meilyr pointed to a faded sign and the universal symbol for an inn, a triangle roof-shape over a square with a section open much like a welcoming door. "This way," He prompted as he led those traveling with him and those simply voyaging on the same ship down a fork in the road. The gremlin yawned and made extra effort to pick his feet up when he realized he was kicking up massive amounts of dust otherwise. The air was so dry, what Meilyr was breathing had started to tickle his throat and threatened to make him cough.

Lights were off in the black windows they passed, no one stirred and the night was alive with the sounds of crickets and other nocturnal creatures. Streetlamps were few and far between and those present were dim. The pale color of the ground and buildings made up for it though and the ghostly images loomed up in the light as if it were much brighter. The street the Skylanders traveled was well worn and meandering in its course. Finally ahead of them lights could be seen in the windows of a large stone block building. Again the universal sign for inn was present along with the name of the establishment, the Sandy Boot.

"Ain't much," Samuel said with a shake of his head. "But I couldn't care less at this point. I just want a nice quiet place to get some decent shut eye!" He moved with ease through others before entering the building. The crystals that adorned him caught light and sent it out in small beams behind him that drew the eyes of fellow travelers.  
Other Skylanders, those sharing a connection of some kind with the Breakling, entered as well leaving Hex's party outside. The Core was more than a little annoyed to realize her party had seemed to grow by one. The Whirlwindling was sticking around since she and Seraphina were the closest thing to allies she had at the moment.

"Um, are we going to just stand out in the dark or go in?" Windy asked when no one moved. Hex's answer came in the form of the Core gliding in without a word.  
"I think there might be more rooms offered in the next town over," Meilyr said to Seraphina. "This place does not look to have much space."  
"Even if we have to share all I really want is a place to sleep and bathe in the morning," the princess replied. She was tired, tired of wearing the same dress for two days as well. If she could have just gone back to Earth and used the portal to return she could have been comfortable on her Portal Master's island or at a more familiar inn. That path was out of the question, Eon had assigned Hex to her and Hex's toy form wasn't sitting on Sean's shelf like Seraphina's was. The Core would still have to travel to meet back up with her and Seraphina was afraid to do anything that might reflect poorly on her in Eon's eyes.

"Oh no," Windy gasped suddenly. Somehow with her clawed feet she had untied her scarf and plucked a loose cord from under it. "That's so wonk. My coin purse," the Whirlwindling said with drooping ears. "I must have dropped it somewhere. I've lost _everything_!" She turned to walk off in the direction she had come with her eyes on the ground. It could have been anywhere, the last time she used it was for the trip that got her off Fetter Foothold and to her current location.  
"Windy, wait," Seraphina called. "Let it be, we will look in the morning. I will pay for your room now."  
The hybrid didn't even turn around when she protested, "But it could be gone by morning! I had nearly two hundred in gold!"  
"Windy," Seraphina repeated. "It is alright, I will replace the gold myself. Let it be," she insisted.  
The hybrid did turn around quickly at that with her still loose scarf nearly slipping under her front legs, "No! I can't ask you to do that! I had been working so hard for what I had; I just want my coin purse back!" Windy took note of the scarf and with an annoyed grunt bit it and pulled it off completely before she sat down hard in the dust.

Meilyr looked from Seraphina to Windy, he knew the princess would follow the other Skylander through the dark to help her if Windy was that determined to find it. "I will look for it, as far back as the ship. Go on in, get a room and find rest," the Fizzling offered.  
"I'll come with you," Windy said. She could get one of them to help her with the scarf later, that purse meant more at the moment.  
"No, go with Seraphina. Get a room and find some sleep," Meilyr insisted. He walked out past Windy and put a hand out when she tried to follow. "Go with Seraphina," he stressed. "You are exhausted. Let me look for it, please."  
Windy turned her various shades of blue eyes up to the Fizzling and studied his face. He was just as determined as her. The unicorn-dragon hybrid did want to sleep so very badly but her missing coin purse kept bothering her. Reluctantly she turned back to the inn and cast one last look over her shoulder as Meilyr vanished into the dark.  
"He will look for it, he is true with his word," Seraphina called from the open door. She held it wide and slid to the side so Windy could pad softly through it. "Let me help you with the scarf," the Hexling said as she let the door close.

Windy wasn't expecting to see the other Skylanders still in the lobby with all eyes on her and Seraphina. "I didn't do it," the Whirlwindling said automatically. What it was she had no clue, just that she didn't do it. She let Seraphina take her scarf as she watched the others in the room.  
"Yer missin' one," the inn keeper said. "Never mind, fill em in when they arrive. As I was tellin' yer friend I have only six rooms and there are nine o' ya. Yer gonna have to bunk up."  
The Hexling stood up once Windy was satisfied with how she had tied the scarf. "Meilyr will be back later, he went looking for Windy's coin purse. I will share a room with him. Let Helen and Windy have separate rooms." Seraphina still refused to call Hex by her real name, until the Core did it herself she was going to continue to call her Helen.

"That is hardly appropriate," Hex said with her arms folded over her chest.  
"He is my personal guard. It is perfectly acceptable." Well, he was temporarily her personal guard but details might confuse everyone so she left them out.  
"Send him to my room; I'll share with the gremlin. Don't need the bed myself anyway, don't even lie down to sleep!" the Prism Breakling Samuel said. The thought of a rock golem tucked into bed was an amusing mental image but he did have a point.  
"Very well," the inn keeper said. "You figure out who bunks with who but the rooms are yours. Ten gold per person for the night, I want ye out by noon understood?"

"Thank you again," Windy said before she shut the door to her room. "I owe you."  
"You owe me nothing," Seraphina smiled as the Whirlwindling vanished. She caught Hex's nod and glided over to the Core.  
"Why do you call me Helen?" she asked.  
"I do so because you have not introduced yourself otherwise. You are so embarrassed by me that I endeavor to save you the humiliation of rumors about traveling with a spoiled brat and her gremlin guard."  
Hex wasn't sure if she should thank the princess or be annoyed by the whole situation. "Helen it is. For now," Hex nodded before she too closed her door.  
Seraphina was the last one in the hall. Samuel's door had been left open for Meilyr's benefit and for just a moment the princess wondered if he had heard her exchange with Hex. If so that was the Core's problem, Seraphina was exhausted and could hear the bed calling her name. With luck Meilyr would find Windy's missing coin purse. If not Seraphina had gold to spare. She should just have her father send a small ship and pilot to Sean's island to transport her and save gold. Tomorrow, when she got to a hub or another means to send a message to her father she could suggest that very thing.

The island looked different when Meilyr had no one else to keep him company. The dark seemed blacker and thicker, the sounds of the nocturnal creatures were louder and somehow closer. In the loose dust he and the other Skylanders had traveled he found no signs of Windy's coin purse. The Whirlwindling could have lost it anywhere, Meilyr was sure she was thinking it way back on Fetter Foothold. It probably was there but Meilyr had told her he would search and he meant to. Finally Meilyr reached the ship, he was nervous about being on it with the pilot nowhere around but he would just explain himself if anything came of it. The gremlin groaned when he saw the deck was full of crates for him to search around. Meilyr inhaled deeply and steeled himself, he intended to search everywhere on the deck. At least the Skylanders had been confined to above decks. That fact would substantially decrease his search area.

In the back of Seraphina's mind she knew she was dreaming but her dream self didn't care in the least. She found herself back home in the forest surrounding Meir Valan looking like her normal self again. Seraphina had golden hair and skin a rich tawny sort of color with the metallic sheen common in elves of her region. Her hair was down and reached all the way to her rump; the wind tousled it softly and made her sweep it behind an ear as she made her way through the forested area. The trees were bright with spring growth and the sun welcoming in the shafts of light that filtered through the leaves and illuminated the clearing she was making her way towards. Seraphina was wearing her ridding attire, a sturdy grey skirt divided for sitting astride a mount with very few embellishments. It was still fancier than a standard riding dress but not an acceptable standard for her to be doing anything other than riding.

The princess was not mounted at the moment however and instead was looking for a mount that had wandered off on her. Next to her walked a tall, stately orniteryx bird with white and lavender feathers. Moonlight was Seraphina's favored mount and even though she was a war bird it was Seraphina's role as a priestess in the Order of Light that made the sight normal. Moonlight was even tempered and well trained, she knew the princess was searching for something and kept her senses alert as well. Moonlight looked much like an over-sized bird of prey with a hooked beak and strong legs for running and powerful wings built to be used both for flight and bludgeons in combat. Her tail was stiff and fringed with feathers rather than being nothing but feathers, that and her size set her apart from most other birds.

A squawk made Seraphina smile as she turned around. Sure enough behind her was the second towering orniteryx with his crimson and gold tipped feathers looking glossy and bright in the sun. The war bird would have been fearsome to most anyone else but not to Seraphina. In the back of her mind she thought about how strange it was to see him as a skeletal ostrich rather than the majestic creature she remembered. "There you are, Stampede," Seraphina said softly as the war bird stepped closer and nudged his massive head up under her arm. She reached out a delicate hand to his hooked beak once he had pulled back and the avian cooed as he lowered his head and let her stroke him. He wore a leather hood as a means to use reins. The hood itself bore the personal seal of his rider; six golden wings with crimson tips, not Seraphina's symbol but rather the king of Haven. Moonlight made a sound of approval as she too moved in to rub her hooded head against the other orniteryx.  
Seraphina giggled when Stampede tried to groom her riding dress carefully with his beak. That beak was razor sharp and used to tear not only opponents but food yet he could use it as gently as a kitten. He ruffled his wings and gold tipped feathers shone brilliantly for a moment. The elven princess brushed the reins Stampede wore out of the way so she could scratch him under the chin. "Where is Kaelin?" Seraphina whispered to the war bird. It was always a game with them, to ride out on their birds and hide in the woods.

Stampede bobbed his head and flicked his wings a few times. The war bird always showed himself when Seraphina was near Kaelin. Be it that the bird understood the game and was trying to help his rider or the seeker neither of them had figured it out. Moonlight clicked her beak a few times and wandered off to keep searching herself.  
Seraphina smirked and tapped a cheek with her finger. Kaelin was good at tucking himself away in the last place the princess looked. Mentally she went over the features in the area to determine where he might be. There was plenty of undergrowth, no; he wouldn't be in the bushes. Stampede would give that hiding spot away by stamping his feet a lot. He could circle around the trunks of the trees and remain out of sight. Some of the trees were large enough to hide the war bird behind after all. But no, he wasn't behind a tree because Stampede was milling about in the clearing with Seraphina and Moonlight. The princess had to laugh; it wasn't much of a game anymore with Stampede's habits linked to where Kaelin would hide. That left one more place. Seraphina squealed in surprise when a shadow fell over her and a body blocked the sun just as she looked up into the trees. Her squeal turned into laughter when Kaelin landed beside her and tackled her before hauling the princess to the forest floor with his own laughter mingling with hers. Neither of the birds so much as blinked at the action, had it been anyone else and not the two they were familiar with they would have leapt at the chance to defend their riders.

"I _almost_ completely surprised you," Kaelin grinned at the princess as he rolled to his back and let her rest atop his chest. In his true form Kaelin had golden skin and platinum hair that was as long as Seraphina's in the front but only reached his shoulder blades in the back. He was dressed for riding himself and his garments lacked embroidery save for the crest on the left side of his chest that marked him as Haven's king. "This time you did not even bother to try looking anywhere else before you turned your eyes skyward."  
"A rustle in the trees did not sound like it was caused by the wind," Seraphina grinned. She looked down on her betrothed and returned his wide smile. Light he was handsome, how lucky she was to catch the eye of Haven's young king. The princess lift a stray lock of his hair out of his face and stroked his cheek before she closed her eyes and kissed him tenderly. As always it gave her butterflies in the pit of her stomach and made her feel as if she could fly. This was how she preferred to spend her days, carefree and light-hearted with Kaelin. Stampede chirped softly and moved next to the reclining elves before he sat himself down in the forest's undergrowth and began to groom his feathers. Seraphina laughed and bat at the wing that had just come between her and Kaelin. Moonlight moved in to settle down and help Stampede groom himself, the other bird gave the impression that she didn't trust him to do it right. Seraphina rolled off the king she was betrothed to and stood up with a happy sigh. So long as she had Kaelin nothing else mattered.

Kaelin curled up into a seated position before he too rose to his feet and brushed debris off his coat. "Care to try again? This time you take Moonlight out and hide."  
"Did you hear that, Moon?" Seraphina said to the bird. "Kaelin wants you to get me lost." The war bird squawked as if it was a scandalous thought then resumed grooming Stampede. "The midday meal should be soon," Seraphina grinned. "We should make our way back to the palace. King or not my father will have something to say to you if you bring his daughter back late." Seraphina poked Kaelin in the chest with a good-natured smirk.  
Kaelin dipped into a bow and held his hand out for her at the lowest point. "Well I would hate to find myself on your father's bad side, my dear. Let us return home then."  
Seraphina took Kaelin by the hand. It was a perfect day; beautiful weather, gorgeous scenery and the best company she could hope for. Seraphina hoped it would never end and that every day to follow would be much the same.

As in most dreams just when the perfect blend of elements causes a state of euphoria it all came crashing down. Upon stepping into the line of trees everything changed. Her dream self didn't think much of the sudden lack of the forest for it all seemed very normal but in the back of Seraphina's mind she was scrambling to figure out how the setting had changed so suddenly.  
The area was flat and the only vegetation to be seen was the twisted husks of trees jutting up from broken and sharp bluish rocks. A cold wind blew here and kicked up swirls of dirt.

"Kaos is near," Kaelin said. "Come quickly!" he grabbed Stampede's reins and the bird fidgeted. He kept trying to pull away from Kaelin and screamed the whole time. The war bird was trained better than that; he shouldn't have even batted an eye at the feeling of dread now settling on the trio.  
"Stampede!" Seraphina called to the crimson war bird. She stepped up closer to him and tried to touch the ruffled feathers on his chest. Stampede's head came down and pushed Seraphina out of the way. She stumbled and fell on her rear and watched in horror as the bird's crimson and gold feathers began to molt and fall away. Stampede continued to scream his protest and stamped his feet. His eyes were wide and rolled so much the whites that were never visible began to peek in the corners. The orniteryx stretched his neck out and lift his nearly featherless wings with an ear-piercing screech before his flesh began to slough off like slime dripping into gory puddles on the rock.

Seraphina screamed and looked away only to find another disturbing sight. Kaelin's golden skin had turned pale blue and he raised a hand to point at her with his mouth agape. "What is happening?" the princess gasped when she reached for Kaelin with a suddenly blue hand herself. Seraphina scrambled to her feet and tripped, she couldn't touch the ground without her feet sliding out from under her. It was as if the ground and her feet were magnets with the same polarity and constantly repelling one another. Seraphina's grey riding dress had been replaced by a black as night gown and her head was bound suddenly in a cowl. With black tipped fingers she traced the cowl's swooping fins that now covered her ears. "Kaelin," she called, "What is happening?" Moonlight was simply gone; her dream self never questioned it but Seraphina's mind couldn't stop thinking about the sudden disappearance.  
Kaelin was dressed in black armor with red accents now and strode past her without a word. A squawk turned Seraphina's gaze back to Stampede. The skeletal bird that stood there now had a longer neck than Stampede and Kaelin swung up easily onto his back and lowered the lance he had seemingly produced from thin air. There were no remains of Stampede's feathers or flesh anywhere on the bird or on the ground.

Without realizing how it had happened Seraphina found herself on her feet again. Or rather she was now hovering several inches above the ground. She regarded the figures before her with a cool indifference. "I have no interest in the frivolities of courtship," she heard herself drone in Hex's voice. In her thoughts she was screaming at herself for such words but was powerless to change a thing.  
"Then Lady Hex," Kaelin began in Rider's voice, "I will take my leave and bother you never again. Farewell." He tugged the reins on his skeletal mount and the bird hissed at Seraphina before he leapt over her head and simply vanished.  
_No_! Seraphina's thoughts screamed as her dream self was glad to see him leave. _This is not right!_ She cried out as she, now an exact copy of Hex right down to the personality and voice, drifted off further into the barren landscape to get as far from any form of life as possible.

Seraphina sat up in bed with a gasp. Instinctively the princess raised a hand to her chest and no sooner did she catch sight of it did the Hexling have to stifle a scream when she saw pale blue fingers with black nails. She was Seraphina Reve, a Skylander cursed to wear Hex's face but she was still herself inside. Her heart felt heavy in her chest, Seraphina closed her eyes as she finally placed her hand over it. It still beat but the rate never increased no matter what she was doing. While she bled when wounded it was liquefied red magic that flowed out rather than blood. She breathed only to be able to speak; her body no longer needed the oxygen to function otherwise. Food didn't energize her; she only ate to be social. Alcohol still affected her strangely enough as did poisons. She needed sleep only as a means to recharge the magical energies that animated an otherwise lifeless corpse.

Seraphina drew her knees up to her chest through the blankets and rest her forehead against them. Such a horrible dream, the way she felt at the end struck her like a thunderbolt. Tears flowed freely and she didn't care; at least she still had tears to shed. She missed Kaelin; she missed her tawny skin tone and blonde hair. She missed her brother Anicetus, her sister Eloryn and everyone they called friend who had become a Skylander. None of them bore familiar faces now and all battled with the same thoughts she did.

The knock on the door startled Seraphina. "I am not decent," she said while quickly drying her eyes.  
"Nor am I," Hex's voice replied. "But you _will_ open the door and let me in."  
Seraphina pulled the sheet from the bed and wrapped it around herself before she opened the door. She slid to the side and Hex glided in dressed only in her small clothes and not caring at all about it. It was odd to see her bare toes drifting just above the floor and pointed downward.  
"You are confused, yes?" Hex asked as she turned around. "Shut the door and there's no need to hide. You look like me, nothing I haven't seen before," she said sourly. Seraphina closed the door but held onto the sheet anyway. "That dream you had," Hex began.

"Did I scream out?" Seraphina gasped. She hoped not, Meilyr would be pounding on the door if anyone told him what they heard should he have missed it himself.  
"No," Hex snapped. "_I_ had the same dream."  
Seraphina furrowed her brow and cocked her head to the side. "How do you know what I dreamt about?"  
"Stampede is Kaelin's orniteryx. He has scarlet feathers with gold tips. The riding hood he wears has Kaelin's seal on the forehead. Six feathered wings spread, gold with crimson tips. Kaelin has skin to rival a golding's with hair like white gold. He keeps it longer in the front than in the back. You wore a grey dress divided for riding as you played a childish game of hide-and-seek in the forest outside of Meir Valan. Need I go on?"  
Seraphina's mouth worked soundlessly. The Hexling could only stare blankly at the Core she was a copy of. "How…?"

"This damnable curse!" Hex threw her arms up in frustration. "You know when I am near, you can sense me same as I can sense you. Strong enough emotions can be detected when we're close enough. And at night when asleep the closer we are physically the greater the chances of sharing dreams." Hex stopped there. "And what you saw next," she paused and moved in closer to the Hexling before lowering her voice and using a dangerous tone, "what you saw is _never_ to be spoken of. You will not ask me about it nor will you tell another soul what you witnessed. My memories are mine and mine alone."  
Seraphina's knees felt weak, no wonder Rider had been so cozy with her. He had feelings for Hex and was entertaining an idea. It must have backfired or something, he couldn't have possibly wanted Hex to shove him around like she had. "I, I understand," Seraphina said slowly. Why was Hex so embarrassed by Rider's interest in her?

Hex stood up again with her back tall as she regarded the Hexling. She nodded her head in satisfaction of Seraphina's reply. "That war bird of Kaelin's was beautiful," she said at last. "It's a pity he is so much less than he was now."  
The Hexling nodded slowly, almost mechanically. They had shared a dream; the two had blended so well together Seraphina had thought it all her own doing. The room was filled with a muted light from the curtains, Seraphina finally realized. She wouldn't be getting any more sleep in that case. Hex was still staring at her, studying her and it made the princess uncomfortable. "We should get ready to depart," Seraphina said at last.

"Maybe today you'll find yourself something other than that emerald gown," Hex grumbled as she went for the door. She looked over her shoulder one last time before she vanished into the hall.  
"I wonder if Eon knew about the connection," Seraphina said aloud to herself. The thought of having Hex in her head and being in Hex's head was uncomfortable. It might just steal from the both of them the last bits of their individuality. Seraphina rubbed her eyes; the whole thing was just getting stranger and stranger.


	9. Bonding

**Bonding**

"I looked everywhere I could think," Meilyr said with a yawn and stretch. "I simply could not find your coin purse, I am sorry." The gremlin had been the last one to awaken. The other Skylanders his small party had been traveling with had already departed leaving Meilyr the lone male in the company of Windy, Hex and Seraphina. The princess had just enough time to tell him to call Hex by the name Helen when Windy came bounding up to ask about her lost item.  
"So wonk," the blue hybrid sighed, "Oh, well thank you," Windy replied with drooping ears. "You tried and that's all I could ask for."  
Seraphina turned around quickly to fish through Meilyr's pack. The gremlin tried to look over his shoulder with his ears sticking straight up as she jostled the potions. "Hey, if you pop the cork on one or break it the enchantment on the pack will never allow me to clean the mess out."  
"Shh," Seraphina told him as she continued to dig. She knew what she was doing; she had used enchanted items such as Meilyr's pack much longer than he had. "Ah, here it is." She pulled out an empty coin purse as well as a full one.

"When did you put that in?" Meilyr asked as he watched her pull the strings to open first the empty then full purse. "What else have you put in my pack?" He pulled it off to rummage himself and made far more noise than Seraphina had.  
"When I went to wake you," the princess replied. She counted out coins from the full purse and dropped them into the empty one before she held out the newly filled purse to Windy.  
"No!" Windy gasped. "I can't accept that! Please," the Whirlwindling looked up at the Hexling with large eyes. She appreciated the thought but couldn't take hand-outs due to her pride in being self-sufficient.  
Hex had been silent for the full exchange and cleared her throat. "If someone is going to be kind enough to give you a donation you should be more appreciative of it." Not that she would take it herself; the last thing she wanted was to feel like she owed someone anything.

Windy stared at the coin purse Seraphina was offering her when a thought hit her, "Why didn't the pouch fill the purse with the coins in the other?" she narrowed her eyes at the item in Seraphina's hand, how weird.  
"The enchantment is not meant for gold or gems," Meilyr answered as he slung his pack back on. "If it worked that way could you imagine the inflation on prices? Anyway, are we ready?"  
"That'd be the cheese," Windy said softly on the thought of multiplying wealth with the pack's effect. But yes, she could see the problem too.  
"I am bathed, rested and everyone has eaten?" Seraphina asked. She got nods from her companions. "Then we are ready." Windy still hadn't taken the purse so Seraphina tied it alongside hers under a fold of her gown. When the hybrid was ready she would take it.

The sun had rapidly heated the stone and sand in the molekin town. The heat washed over the quartet like a furnace when the door was opened and Windy instantly adjusted her wings so they weren't held so close to her body. The sun was bright too; surely it couldn't have gotten that bright so soon. "It is still morning, isn't it?" Windy asked.  
"Yes," Hex's short reply came almost before Windy had even finished speaking.  
Windy scowled, "What the juice is your problem, Helen? You're always so _rude_ to like, everyone!"  
"Don't call me that," Hex said in the same snippy tone. She ghosted out into the town and gave the barest glance over her shoulder to ensure the others followed.  
Windy cocked her head to the side, "Well what do you want me to call you if not your name?"  
"That's not m-" Hex stopped and scowled. "Just don't talk to me and everything will be fine." She glared at a molekin woman that looked up at her as she passed.  
Windy gave the other Skylander a dirty look, "Shoob," she muttered and dropped back to Seraphina, at least _this_ Hexling had manners.

"I have been meaning to ask you," Seraphina began as she hovered between Windy and Meilyr, "you have used words in ways I am unfamiliar with. Where did you learn this?"  
"From my Portal Master, Krystal. Well, from this one show on TV she got me hooked on. I thought all humans talked that way. It helps me feel more connected to Krystal, ya know? I hear it a lot and thought it would be right to pick it up myself. But seriously, Randy Cunningham: Ninth Grade Ninja is bruce. You should watch it sometime!"

_The room was dark except for the alternating patterns of light from the TV. It bathed items directly in front of it with splashes of constantly changing color. Among those items was a shelf full of Skylander figures, frozen on the outside but alive on the inside. None were more enthralled with the cartoon currently airing than Windy the Whirlwindling. She never missed an episode, ever. A shadow fell over her as a dark figure blocked her view and Windy gasped, "I can't see!"_  
_"Relax," the shadowed figure laughed. "Come on, I've got a better seat."_

_As Windy's eyes adjusted she was able to see her Portal Master Krystal pick her up and move her to the arm of the couch. "Oh yeah, this seat rocks," the Whirlwindling said proudly from her new perch. Nothing was in the way from this vantage point; anyone else that passed through the room would be behind her and wouldn't block her view. Next to her sat Krystal, this was what Windy enjoyed the most about Earth; soaking up the entertainment alongside her Portal Master._

_"Ok first separate the clouds," Randy the main character of the show began with an artful maneuvering of his hands out from his sides. "Gather the fallen wind," he murmured while leaning over and fluffing up blue swirls of magic as the giant komodo dragon approached. The ninja pulled his hands up towards his midsection and began to snicker as he said, "And free the chicken." He lost it with that and slapped his head, "I can't, I can't! Free the chicken? What am I supposed to do with that?" His shrug quickly turned into a dodge when the giant lizard tried to pounce him. "Alright, alright, alright," he muttered upon rolling back to his feet. "Cloud, wind," he began with the same motions, "chicken," his laugh almost sounded like a chicken's cluck as he doubled over with one hand to his gut and the other to his head. "Chicken! Ok, ok, ok. I'm gonna do it this time for real."_

_Windy laughed at the same time Krystal did when the armored dragon almost crushed Randy for the second time. "That _is_ a ridiculous name for a move," Windy snickered. She thought proudly about how the red scarf she wore matched Randy's, all thanks to Krystal. "This is the cheese, Krystal. Thanks a bunch biffer," Windy told her Portal Master._

"We talk like that to each other a lot, some of Krystal's other Skylanders can be such shoobs about it though. No harm done, just goofing off," Windy said as she hopped along the road.  
"Well I could see picking up lingo from a Portal Master, if I could understand mine I might do the same. My Portal Master speaks a language I have never heard and though she can understand me her replies are broken and sometimes I confuse her. It gives me a headache to talk to her," Meilyr said in such a way as to end the conversation.  
"I respect mine, he respects me. End of story," Hex said before she was put on the spot.  
Seraphina shrugged, "I have no complaints about Sean. He finds my life interesting and I find his likewise. There are things that the other does that we do not understand but we do not question it."

Windy flashed Seraphina and Meilyr a grin, "On the topic of speech the two of you talk so proper!" She drew herself up tall and held her head high before giggling and relaxing her posture. "I bet you're from the Tour region of Skylands. Am I right? You were elves before the change? So was I, a storm elf. It was weird to find myself suddenly walking on four legs instead of two but the wings are so honkin' bruce!" She held them up proudly to punctuate her statement and seemed to prance as she walked.  
"We were eirian elves," Meilyr said with his hand up as he studied it. "You know, metallic skin tones ranging from silver through pearl, hematite, copper, bronze, silver and gold. Seraphina was a tawny muted gold with hair like spun gold. Gold, gold, gold. We used to tease her about being gold plated. My own skin tone was a muddy copper sort of color, my hair dark. Now I am this," he motioned to himself. "I am stronger now but beastly. I am glad someone is happy with their cursed form."  
"Helen too?" Windy asked. She didn't dare approach the Hexling ahead of them with the question.  
"We recently met Helen," Seraphina said when Meilyr looked in her direction; "she does not talk much about her life before the exile. I have decided I do not need to know and refrain from questioning her."  
"Fair enough," Windy shrugged. She hoped they were going to leave the dusty island soon; she could see the grime in her feathers and knew it was going to cause her to do a serious grooming.

The inn keeper had told the quartet that the best opportunity for a departure from the island was in the next town over. When it appeared on the horizon they understood why. The dry arid landscape changed abruptly with an oasis. Lush palms and underbrush made a stark line against the sandy rocks that covered the area they had come from. It was still very warm out but the addition of shade helped give relief. On the road ahead of them was a lone molekin leading a train of reptilian trekkers loaded with packs of goods he was transporting back to the molekin settlement. The molekin waddled on by without so-much as a glance at the group. His trekkers either tossed their heads or extended a neck out to sniff at the travelers. Hex popped the first one in the face to try it with her and kept moving. The rest avoided her but seemed to find Meilyr particularly fascinating.

"Ugh, quit," the gremlin grumbled when the third straight reptile nudged him with a blunt nose. They all went for the side of his face and some rammed him rather hard. The fourth trekker got Meilyr to side step with his nuzzle and the gremlin used the momentum to stumble into the foliage flanking the road. "I am good," he said with only a hand sticking up above the green leaves.  
Windy wound her way around the legs of the trekkers and got them moving along quickly so the road was once again open for the Skylanders. "Hey, big, blue and fuzzy, it's safe again!" she called out to Meilyr with a giggle.  
The Fizzling's head pushed through large leaves and looked back towards the trekkers behind Seraphina and Windy before he looked ahead to Hex. They were all waiting on him with various expressions. Windy was amused, Hex was scowling and Seraphina was more than a little embarrassed by him. Meilyr hopped through the foliage and left it rustling behind him as he scurried down the road ahead of the princess and hybrid but behind the Core. "Come on," he called to the ladies now behind him. "We all want to get out of here, right?"

Anicetus Reve found himself in only the company of Crevan Mikken. Teranika and Rafer would not be around until sunset and his sister and Meilyr hadn't arrived from their now two day long journey from Eon's party. Anicetus wasn't complaining however, he was rather enjoying himself at the moment. Crevan had decided he liked the Meir Valan elf enough to show him the collection of birds and trekkers his family raised. It felt good to be back in the Tour region of Skylands. In the distance Anicetus could see the island continent of Tour and imagined the line that divided it into Orriden and Garda, the latter the country his father ruled. The capital city of Meir Valan would be on the other side of his current position. Anicetus was on a decent sized fringe island devoted to animal husbandry and in King Faolan Young's jurisdiction, an ally to his father.

"That one is the best sprinter," Crevan pointed to a female ostrich wearing a collar of pink-dyed leather matched by anklets. "Are you any good at riding?" he asked while leaning on the fence. Crevan put two fingers to his mouth and whistled before he waved to a beautiful antique gold skinned elf with red-orange hair. She turned and waved back before taking two large male ostriches by their leads and approaching the fence. "This is my younger sister, Eileen. Eileen, may I present to you Prince Anicetus Reve of Meir Valan."  
Eileen's eyes widened and she dipped into a low bow before him, "Forgive me, prince. I am not dressed for receiving royalty." She cast a glare at her brother before smiling warmly at Anicetus. "It is good to see you well."  
Anicetus surprised her by placing a gauntleted hand to his chest and bowing in return. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Eileen."  
"Just Eileen," she said in embarrassment. "I have no title." She glanced back to her brother; he was giving her a slightly insane grin. She really hated how his cursed form always made him look so unbalanced. "Crevan would like to race, I am assuming," she said as she looked to the ostriches she still held the leads for. "Now these two are fairly evenly matched. Not the fastest but matched. Have you ridden before, Prince Anicetus?"

"Please," the Ignitorling said with a hand up, "Just Anicetus is fine. Titles are not necessary." Eileen closed her eyes and gave him a deep nod of understanding. If that was what he requested then that would be what the prince got. "I have ridden orniteryx before and am skilled with them. Ostriches however have been very rarely."  
"Then you will find yourself bored with the ostrich," Crevan smirked. "Mount up. I will show you the track we train them on." He hopped the fence and took the lead from one male before swinging up onto the bird's back. The ostrich side-stepped lightly and ruffled his wings at the additional weight but calmed quickly with Crevan's soothing words and gentle strokes.  
"My armor does not make me too heavy?" Anicetus asked. "I will not cause harm to the bird?" He gestured to the obvious flames behind his helm.  
"Rider wears armor when he jousts. No, you are not too heavy," Crevan replied as he turned his mount around to face the prince. "Your saddle should keep the largest area of heat off the bird. If we are to travel as much as we have already might I suggest getting a trekker for use? They will be best suited for your unique needs."

The ostrich looked at Anicetus and stepped back half a step when the prince reached for his reins.  
"Come now, Overdrive. That is no way to treat a prince!" Eileen said to the bird as she directed him back towards the prince.  
"Overdrive, huh?" Anicetus asked when the ostrich finally allowed him to take the reins.  
"When he needs it he always seems to have a reserve of extra power and speed," Eileen nodded. She watched the prince mount up and noticed Overdrive kept his wings away from the Ignitorling's armored legs. She had been able to feel the heat from him when she was close enough and could understand the bird's agitation over carrying live flames. Eileen swept her red-orange hair behind her ears before she stepped away from the two riders and moved to open the gate to the corral first. "Keep it short, Overdrive will tire fast with the heat," she warned.  
"Just a bit of recreation," Crevan waved. "We will be back before you know it."

Well, the ostrich moved similarly to an orniteryx. The bird had a longer and slimmer neck with a less threatening head and seemed a bit lighter on his feet than the war birds Anicetus was used to. Strange when he considered the orniteryx could fly and the ostrich could not. The prince easily transitioned from a walk into a canter to pace Crevan. The Fizzling looked relaxed and completely at home on the back of the bird. For a moment Anicetus wondered how a bird wrangler became an alchemist. Then again, the same question might be asked of him if one did not understand the tradition of picking a hobby as a young princeling.  
"Just up ahead," Crevan glanced over his shoulder to Anicetus. He turned further and laughed, "It appears we will have company."

Anicetus swiveled as much as he could in the saddle to look behind him. He saw Eileen swing up onto the back of an olive and brown female trekker after closing the gate to the holding pen she had brought the lizard through. "It cannot possibly be a fair race," Anicetus said as he turned back around. "The trekker will have a longer stride!"  
"She will give us a head start of nearly one lap," Crevan laughed. "After that it gets fun."  
"Should have just taken trekkers," Anicetus thought he said quietly enough for Crevan to miss.  
Crevan's laughter proved it wasn't soft enough, "Trust me prince, this will be much more fun."

A short walk around a bend put the riders at an open area with a track of bare dirt obviously used often for the running of animals. There were even a few risers present for spectators. If Crevan's family sold their stock it was most likely where prospective buyers sat to observe the animals. "Line up even with that mark there, yes. That one," Crevan pointed to the buried stones that marked the starting point.  
"Eileen seems to be taking her time," Anicetus remarked. Her trekker was actually being allowed by her rider to graze as she wandered slowly along the path.  
"When we get to that point she will allow our lead no matter where she is she will take Olive into a run," Crevan said as he adjusted himself in the saddle. "Ready when you are, prince."  
"On my mark," the prince said. He gripped the reins tighter and lowered his profile against the ostrich. "Ready. Set," he paused. "Go!"

Eileen watched the ostriches take off in a dash. She thumped Olive's neck when she felt the trekker's muscles tense up in preparation. "Easy there girl. Let them have their head start. Shall we give them a whole lap or just under a whole lap?" Olive shook her head, the loose skin around her throat waddled and she made a noise similar to a honk. "A whole lap it is. You are getting confident," Eileen laughed. Eileen felt she would never get used to seeing her brother as he was now. True, much about him remained the same. He was still grinning and he retained that little quirk in his smile on the left side. But as a gremlin he was not the elf she remembered running around the pens with and squealing as they played tag around the legs of ostrich and trekker alike. One day, she told herself, one day she would see his copper skin and golden brown hair again.  
"Get ready," Eileen whispered to Olive as the duo neared the starting line with Anicetus in the barest of leads. "Go!" she flapped the reins and laughed in delight as the thickly corded muscles in Olive's legs propelled her forward.

Anicetus was as flat against Overdrive as he could manage without touching the bird with his chest or head. The wind whistled inside his empty armor and he could hear Overdrive breathing in time with the tramping of his feet against the dirt. Yes, there was a thrill to the race. Anicetus didn't dare look behind him knowing the drag the action would cause could throw Overdrive off his game. Anicetus was in the lead, for now. He had taken one lap and Eileen had just spurred her trekker into action. The lizard was faster than the ostriches but he and Crevan had a lap on her. It was inevitable that Eileen and Olive would pass them but not until they had nearly looped around behind Anicetus would he have to worry. It was a three lap race if Anicetus could just keep that lap lead he wouldn't have much to worry about. That chance grew smaller when Eileen's grinning face came up next to Anicetus and pulled ahead just barely.

"I will make it easier," Eileen yelled as she kept her pace just ahead of Anicetus. She knew they had a lap on her but each time he or Crevan tried to pull ahead of her and Olive she was going to increase Olive's speed. Their pushing would be what made her utilize the trekker's full potential. Crevan would be used to the tactic and would play it easy until Eileen would press it at the last possible moment to take the lead and race. Anicetus though would be tempted to increase his lead. Just as Eileen predicted the Ignitorling bobbed up beside her and began to pull ahead. Eileen responded in kind, Olive lurched forward and put several lengths between her and Overdrive. The ostrich squawked in aggravation and lowered his head to catch up with the trekker.

"You are doing well," Anicetus said softly to Overdrive. The roar of the wind wouldn't allow the ostrich to hear the praise but Anicetus would continue coaxing more out of him regardless. Olive had slowed barely and Anicetus kept in mind that she and her rider were one lap behind. Crevan pulled up alongside Anicetus and waved as he pulled ahead. "Faster," the Ignitorling said louder to Overdrive. "I will accept second but not third!"  
Crevan's laughter carried easily to Anicetus. He hadn't informed the prince of everything about the race. Right on cue, the moment Eileen hit the lap marker she spurred her mount on. She would pass the two of them then come up alongside them on the last leg of the final lap. That would be where Anicetus was taken by surprise. Crevan pushed his mount on harder, if he could cross the finish line before Eileen the prince wouldn't ever learn how a Mikken race was in truth. If Anicetus won he would be spared getting involved in the antics but he would still bear witness to Crevan and his sister taking part in their traditional distractions.

Eileen dashed past the lap marker the second time, now she was on the final lap like the two riders she was closing in on. The poor prince, she knew full well that Crevan had "forgotten" to explain the rules of the race in full to him. Ah well, she would simply focus on Crevan instead. It wasn't so much about winning as training the birds for what most of their buyers were going to put them through. Eileen reached into the small pack she carried and pulled out a diminutive packet wound up and bound in thin paper and string. She held the item carefully in one hand and directed Olive with the other. She passed Anicetus, Crevan had maintained his lead and that made it all the easier. Eileen threw her small packet forward; it hit the ground behind Crevan and in front of her trekker with a loud pop and billowing smoke. Crevan's mount screamed and faltered as he tried to change course. Olive leapt to avoid the smoke left behind by the small explosion. Eileen glanced behind her and saw Anicetus simply ride his mount through the thinning smoke. He had good control of the bird; Eileen had completely missed the reaction, if there was one.

_That was cheating!_ Anicetus growled to himself. He moved Overdrive to the outside of the track to gain distance from the elven rider and her lizard. Before he realized what was happening Eileen dropped behind him and Anicetus saw a vial thrown by Crevan somersault through the air. The golden liquid shimmered as it tumbled in slow motion for a moment. Anicetus hoped Overdrive was a jumper as he gave the ostrich the indication that was what he expected. Overdrive raised his flightless wings and beat them furiously when he pushed himself off the ground at the same moment the vial made contact. It exploded louder and more furiously than Eileen's little packet and Overdrive's leap had moved him out of harm's way. At least Anicetus hoped so, those exploding vials sent out shards of _glass_. What were the siblings thinking? Overdrive landed with a jolt and kept running smoothly. Eileen wasn't pushing ahead and Anicetus was nervous when he saw Crevan reach for another vial.  
"If that is the way you want to play," the Ignitorling growled. He leaned back on Overdrive and snapped his arm out as if he held a whip. A thin line of fire sprang up across the track and shot tall flames up high into the sky. Anicetus saw the trekker pull up short of his wall and back pedal as Eileen tried to comfort her.

"He learns fast!" Eileen laughed as she pat Olive's neck. "Easy girl, calm yourself. The flames are dying already." The elf directed her mount to an area in which the fires had nearly been extinguished before she spurred her on and made her jump the licking flames. She had lost some ground but could reclaim it. Crevan too had lost ground when the prince wised up to them and launched the whole of his fiery spirit out onto the track ahead of Crevan. The sudden appearance of a being made entirely of fire made his ostrich skid to a stop. The bird was unbalanced and the skid turned into a fall and slide as Anicetus retreated to his armor and blew past Crevan.  
Crevan was on his feet just as quickly as his ostrich but the bird was panicked and there was no way he was going to be able to make him go forward. Crevan chuckled to himself as he took the reins and led the frightened bird off the track. He should have known he would get burned if he played with fire. He heard more than saw Eileen race by, he hoped she took it easy on the prince. If his temper was as bad as Crevan had heard then his sister or the trekker, maybe both could get hurt.

Anicetus felt slightly satisfied to see Crevan give up. The finish line was within reach but Eileen kept throwing her little exploding packets. Overdrive didn't even flinch and Anicetus took the opportunity to lob a small ball of flames behind him. It bounced in the dirt of the track a few times and made the trekker behind him scream and weave to avoid the unknown path the fireball would take. Anicetus threw out another and another only looking back to see when one had been left behind the rapidly advancing reptile.  
"Try harder next time!" Eileen grinned as she passed the prince and threw one of the packets out in front of Overdrive.  
Now the ostrich responded by turning around and running towards the field beyond the tracks before Anicetus could straighten him. "Blast!" the prince growled when he saw Eileen begin to slow Olive. The finish line had been crossed, the race was over. Anicetus slowed Overdrive and kept him moving to catch up with Eileen and Crevan, both pointing and laughing at each other as they pantomimed the other's reactions to events.

"You mind telling me what that was about?" Anicetus scowled as he dismounted. Crevan's bird was nervous around him and it was obvious that Olive wanted to give him a swift kick.  
"I am sorry, prince," Crevan laughed. "We train these creatures to be stout and strong of heart. Be it that they are used in combat as mounts or as animals on the farm to keep other animals in check we want them to be as fearless as possible. These races give them that brush with the unexpected in a controlled manner."  
"You did remarkably well for a first timer," Eileen smiled widely. "Most drop out of the race or let their mounts take control of where to go. You actually fought back!"  
The Ignitorling balled the reins up in one hand; his flames were a dark orange bordering on red that indicated he wasn't as amused as the siblings. "And if you hurt the animals? What kind of price will they fetch on the market?"  
"I am a healer," Eileen replied calmly. "As is my mother. They will be taken care of promptly and no lasting damage remains."

Anicetus stood in silence for a while before he shook his head with a sigh. "You have strange ways of breaking in people." His flames had softened to a lighter orange now, still not the amused yellow but not irritated at least.  
"Walk with us back to the pens, prince. I think it time you visited home. It has been a while, has it not?" Crevan finally convinced his mount to walk past the Ignitorling.  
"Two years," Anicetus said with a glance off in the direction he thought Meir Valan was. It would be good to see his parents in person. And Lan, whereas his sisters had ladies in waiting to assist them Lan was his groom in waiting and had been a surprising absence from the gathering on Eon's island.

The oasis grew smaller quickly as the copter gained altitude. Windy stared out the window in awe at the sprawling landscape below them, as dusty as she thought the molekin village was it was nothing compared to the rolling dunes and vertical stone walls on the interior of the island past the far side of the oasis. The copter itself was a marvel; most were utilized by arkeyans of the hostile variety so to see one being flown by a friendlier gillman was surprising. The pilot was separated from the four passengers by a metal wall with a door in it and was talking with someone through a headset modified to work with the copter's communications network.

Hex sat alone, the angle of her head said she was looking out the window but in truth she was studying her temporary companions. She could feel the princess's eagerness to be back on her Portal Master's island and find a change of clothing. Other than that thought she couldn't sense anything else from the Hexling. It didn't matter; she would have lectured her for dwelling on the previous night's dream anyway. The infuriating Pop Fizzling was cleaning his claws and watching her the way she was watching him. The only difference was he couldn't tell where she was looking because her eyes were a solid color.

"Isn't it cool how much like Earth technology the arkeyan machines are? I can almost pretend I'm walking around freely on Earth," Windy said with her eyes closed as she listened to the hum of the copter.  
"Why would you wish to do that? There is no magic on Earth, we would be nothing. We _are_ nothing," Hex rained on her parade by reminding her.  
Windy's ears drooped and she looked away from the Skylander she knew as Helen. Such a downer, she was going to start calling her Debbie Downer at this rate.  
"You seem to like Earth quite a bit," Meilyr said.  
Windy nodded enthusiastically. "It's just so… different! Don't you find it exciting? All the new things to see and do. They have fantastic animals that are like nothing I have ever seen!" Her eyes were so wide they looked ready to fall out of her skull.  
Meilyr shifted and leaned back on the bench seat he shared with Seraphina. "It is wondrous but I prefer being able to move about as I please and go where I wish. On Earth I sit on a shelf in a room full of writing I cannot read with conversations in a language I do not speak. It is depressing for the other Skylanders that share my Portal Master." He glanced to Seraphina when she placed a hand on his arm. "Sorry," the gremlin sighed. "I did not mean to dampen your spirits. We see things differently, perhaps if I had a different Portal Master I might understand."

Hex cocked her head to the side as she studied the Hexling across from her. The sympathy Seraphina felt for the motley gremlin was strange to her. Long ago Hex had abandoned such thoughts and feelings, it was part of a life she no longer lived. It frustrated Hex as well, to her it was as if Seraphina couldn't let go of the past and wouldn't move forward. But then there were times the princess surprised her with insight Hex had missed even though she had been undead far longer. _Oh light_, Hex thought, _just what is it that Eon wants me to walk away with from this? _Hex tuned out the conversation around her and closed her eyes. By pretending to sleep she could avoid being involved in the conversation.

"Are you coming?"  
Hex jumped and slapped at the hand on her shoulder. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and saw the long, white haired Hexling straightening her posture as she moved away from Hex. "What?" Hex asked in confusion. Apparently she had fallen asleep rather than simply pretended to be.  
"We are on my Portal Master's island. Are you going to join us?" Seraphina asked. She moved towards the bay doors of the copter and out into the bright, late morning-early afternoon sunlight. Meilyr and Windy stood in the grass looking back into the copter; behind them were Skylanders Hex wasn't familiar with milling about and pointing.  
Hex rose to her feet fluidly and glided out into the sun. It was bright and made her shield her eyes. She was glad to not be traveling any more but obviously not thrilled with the populated island.

"You just missed Sean," a little blue Wrecking Balling said as he bounced up to the Hexling. "If not for him we would have thought you gone. We heard about Fetter Foothold, Sean says you've been traveling a lot and he couldn't teleport any of us to your side because of it. We have a lot to show you." The bouncing grub turned big round eyes back to the trio accompanying her. "Good to see you again, Meilyr," he grinned to the Fizzling. "I don't think we've met," he turned back to the Whirlwindling and Hex.  
"Ah, Boogies this is Windy and Helen," Seraphina said as she introduced the two. "They have been with us since Fetter Foothold."  
"Oh you're so cute!" Windy said to Boogies. "Cutest grub worm ever. Never thought I'd say that," she said with a wrinkled up nose.  
"Oh for me this is an improvement. I was a troll," he grinned with his tongue hanging out one side of his mouth. "Ugliest troll you ever did see, so said my momma." He seemed _proud_ of that fact to boot. "Anyway, follow me! Sean overhauled the lair. Wait 'til you see it. Yer gonna _flip_!"

Once Seraphina passed the line of trees that separated the landing field from the island proper she could already see the difference. The building was larger both in width and height. It was amazing how two days away could leave such a drastic change. She paused for a moment to examine the building; it looked like an apartment building now.  
"I know what you're thinking," Boogies grinned. "And you're right. We each have ourselves a room just like an inn would have! There is a common room with a kitchen, locker room style showers. Everything we need to make the island a comfortable place to stay when we aren't traveling. If you haven't figured it out by now Sean has decided to let us remain in Skylands indefinitely." As he followed the Hexling and her entourage he bounced around as if he were full of energy and most likely was. He nodded to Sean's other Skylanders as they greeted Seraphina and asked who her friends were.

"Does he have spare rooms to rent?" Meilyr asked in awe. This was much better than what he had to look forward to on his Portal Master's island. At times Meilyr honestly felt as if his Portal Master didn't care for them much anymore.  
"_How_ was this done in only two days?" Seraphina over-rode Meilyr's question.  
"You can thank your parents for that," Boogies nodded. "Sean reached out to them with a proposal and they provided what was needed. There's more!" the animated grub exclaimed as he bounced ahead and through the door. "Wait'll you see!"

To Hex this all seemed so strange. The effort that was put into comfort for these copies. Everywhere she looked she saw familiar faces but knew none of them were who they looked like. They had homes they could return to and in her mind should. The Portal Masters could call on them when needed. Why did they insist on making new homes in the company of others sharing the same Portal Master?  
"Check it," Boogies grinned as he led Seraphina and her party to a corner of the common room. "We've got a terminal connected with Sky Arc. No need to visit a hub for information, just log in here and you're done!" He chuckled and moved away as Seraphina glided in smoothly to do just that.

There were messages from Teranika, Rafer, Crevan and her brother. Seraphina ignored them for the time being, Galvin and Kaelin had messaged her. Galvin's read nearly the same as Kaelin's but without the obvious notes of affection. Seraphina smiled warmly at the screen, she knew where to find Kaelin now and his Portal Master's island wasn't too far from hers. "Galvin and Kaelin share the same Portal Master," she said to Meilyr.  
"Wait, say those names again," Windy insisted as she moved up next to the Hexling.  
"Galvin Killian and Kaelin Alistair," Seraphina replied. "Why, do you know them?"  
Windy nodded her head emphatically, "I sure do! I met them not long ago; a Fright Riderling and Sunburnling. They were on the same transport as me and went out to check the remains of a troll camp. I now know that was your doing," she looked between Seraphina and Meilyr. "That bird of Kaelin's is about as rude as Helen though," Windy said slyly. Hex snorted and crossed her arms across her chest.

"I know this fact all too well. You should have seen him before the change. Huge orniteryx," Meilyr raised a hand and stretched it out way above his head. "He is very bite-y. I have the ruined clothing to prove it," Meilyr grumbled.  
"Wow," Windy said in amazement. "I've never even seen an orniteryx up close!"  
"Powerful and dangerous birds," Hex said smoothly. "Fiercely loyal. A true companion." She took a small amount of satisfaction in seeing the surprised looks some of the others gave her on her knowledge of the war birds. "Just because I'm undead doesn't mean I know _nothing_ about living creatures."

"Thank you, Boogies," Seraphina said when she realized the grub was still with them. He seemed perfectly content to listen to the conversation from the fringes. "This is amazing." The Hexling skimmed through the messages others left in her Sky Arc account, the same information more or less in each of them with only viewpoints changed.  
Boogies bounced off towards an interior door of the common room. "Let me show you your room. I think your parents moved everything from the locker on Never-sleep to here so you should be able to change. You were wearing that emerald dress the last time I saw you!"  
Seraphina groaned, "And I never want to wear it again."

Windy was lost in a painting that hung in the hallway connected to Seraphina's room. Her eyes trailed slowly over the sprawling city depicted there and the lush trees in and around it that climbed up on the north side to a ridge. It had the feel of a very old elven kingdom in the center with new additions obvious in the way styles of the buildings changed. They didn't clash but rather flowed like a timeline outward in a fashion similar to the rings of a tree trunk. She kept going back to the palace, the oldest structure in the city and the tallest. A princess lived there. Seraphina lived there; she had been traveling with a princess the whole time and never knew it! Well, Windy thought she was at least rich because of the dress but she didn't understand anything beyond that. She hoped her refusal to take the coin purse Seraphina had offered her wasn't an offensive move. Although, how would she ask for it now knowing who the Hexling really was?

"This is your kingdom of origin?" Windy asked the gremlin she knew was still in the hall with her.  
"Yes, that is Meir Valan, in the country of Garda on the continent of Tour," Meilyr said as he moved to stand next to her. "Home."  
"It's beautiful," Windy said breathlessly. The vast majority of the buildings pictured were made of white ornately carved stone with scroll and vine work. As with all elven settlements the trees were worked into the city's flow. It looked as if some grew up out of the buildings themselves. Windy doubted the elves had cleared any to build but rather planted them once the city was constructed in an area with very few naturally occurring trees. "How did the builders manage so much detail?"  
"Druids built the city long ago," Meilyr informed her. "All we do now is maintain the buildings. It is an art not practiced much anymore, I am afraid."

"I want to go there," Windy said as she turned to Meilyr. "I want to see it up close."  
The gremlin clasped his hands behind his back and nodded, "If you stay with us long enough I am sure you will get a chance."  
"More stuffed shirts and aristocratic behavior, count me out," Hex grumbled.  
Meilyr glanced to Windy for a moment; he couldn't remind Hex of Eon's order without giving her away. Meilyr never got the chance to speak with Seraphina about the ruse and "Helen" but thought better of it. Hex had her reasons and so long as if hurt no one Meilyr could play along. "You are more than welcome to remain here, then," Meilyr said instead. "Or return to your Portal Master."  
Hex grimaced, an action that made Windy cock her head to the side. What was it with certain Skylanders and their Portal Masters? Windy loved Krystal and couldn't picture any Portal Master being so different. "I will return with stories for Krystal," Windy said proudly.

"I am so pleased for you," Hex said flatly as the door to Seraphina's room finally opened. Hex was not expecting what she saw, nor was Windy either judging by her blank look. "Are we going on a crusade?" the undead Skylander asked her clone.  
"No," Seraphina replied as she tightened the grip she had on her staff. She leaned the long ivory item against her shoulder as she straightened white, billowing sleeves with their gold trim. She knew wearing white would leave her vulnerable to dirt, grime and its stains but her informal priestess garment did not fit proper. She had a slightly different build than Hex and only a handful of garments had been altered for wear in her new and hopefully temporary body. Seraphina had taken the time to braid her long white hair and it hung down the middle of her back with the tail at her lower back.  
"You get used to it after a while," Meilyr shrugged, his armor creaked with the action. "Well, where is our next destination?"  
"Home," Seraphina said as she looked past him to the painting. "The two of you are welcome to join us if you would like."

Windy was thrilled to join them, Helen on the other hand looked disgruntled. Something was wrong with the Hexling and the Whirlwindling couldn't put her finger on it. Her imagination was having a field day of it though. Maybe Helen was a palace servant that had run away and was now being returned. Maybe she was a fugitive of the law, only given pardon because she was a Skylander. Maybe Helen was a rival noble that had done something to shame the ruling family. Maybe she was a thief and being called back to answer for her crimes. Windy was sure the real reason was a lot more simple and plain but she could entertain her ideas anyway.  
"The copter is much, much faster than the lumbering flight of the ships," Meilyr pointed out when fringe islands from both Garda and the neighboring country, Orriden, began to pass by. Already beyond them the floating continent of Tour took up the whole of the skyline. "A part of me wants to stick my head out a window and feel the rush of the wind." He gave Hex a big, dumb grin when she grunted at him.

It was only mid-afternoon and so long as the copter pilot was willing to lend his full day to the princess then they would make the meeting with Rafer and Teranika that night. The thought was very appealing and it led to another, related subject. "I will speak with the pilot about where we might be able to procure one for our own use," Seraphina replied. Hopefully one a little larger to carry the whole of their group. "When we land I would like to request that you let Meilyr and I handle any issues that arise. I will not be recognized like this and until I can send word to someone in the palace that I am there we may find ourselves left in the plaza with an armored guard."  
"Sounds thrilling," Hex said sarcastically.  
"We're not going to end up in a dungeon, are we?" Windy squeaked. "That would be so the opposite of cheese."  
Meilyr blinked blankly a few times as he tried to figure out what Windy had actually said. "Uh, no. No dungeon unless someone causes a scene."  
"Don't give me that look," Hex snapped at Windy when her head automatically turned towards her. "I don't want to be in a dungeon any more than you do!"  
"Please," Seraphina sighed, "Put the sharp words and tart responses on hold for a while. The wrong first impression will be made otherwise." Hex understood her meaning and would make an effort to control her tone and words. Although the presence of Meilyr and Windy would make it harder to control her comments.


	10. Homecoming

**Homecoming**

The landing site was outside of the city, the island continent itself was a massive chunk of land that would take around a month to traverse from one end to the other on foot. Only the greatest kingdoms and empires occupied such large foundations. Once on the island and in the interior it was easy to forget that the whole thing floated in the sky. Windy found herself impressed, Hex was bitter about the whole situation and the prospect of seeing just how spoiled a life the princess had led. It seemed she kept fluctuating between respecting the Hexling to loathing her background. Hex didn't put much thought into it that was just the way things were.

"Is that another part of Meir Valan?" Windy asked as she looked to the north of their current position. On a ridge she could see the tops of towers, the design looked different from what she could see of Meir Valan above its wall.  
"That is Hawk Ridge; we are near the border between Garda and Orriden. King Faolan Young rules the country of Orriden and Hawk Ridge is his capital city. Our countries have been allies since their founding. I was almost married to Faolan until Kaelin made his request. I terrorized Faolan when we were children and he was reluctant to accept my father's offer. I am glad, I prefer Kaelin." Seraphina still smiled fondly at the thought. Windy wondered what the princess meant by terrorized but would ask about it sometime later.  
"You never the possibility of marrying King Faolan," Meilyr said in surprise. Anicetus had never mentioned it now that the Fizzling thought about it and Anicetus told him _everything_.  
"It was talked about, no formal actions taken," Seraphina shrugged. "It is in the past and no harm done by my accepting another's request."  
"Is every part of your life planed out for you?" Hex asked. She wasn't sure why she cared about the prospect of arranged marriage but part of her wanted to know if the price for being royalty was limited freedom across the board. The Core drifted up closer to Seraphina and left Meilyr behind with Windy.

Seraphina glided ahead silently with Hex at her side for a while before she answered. "More or less, yes. There are appearances to be made; rigorous schooling on history, formalities, and cultural expectations. There is a mold of conformity they try to make us malleable to. My training as a priestess," Seraphina motioned to her white and gold attire, "helped get me away from that life. My parents stressed how little freedom I would have when I began my training in the Order but I found I had more. It was ironic to see how people viewed a life in the palace from outside it and vice versa. You cannot possible care about this," the princess chuckled. She cast a glance to Hex and was mildly surprised by the thoughtful look the other Skylander bore.  
Hex watched the walls of the city approach as well as the traffic at the gate and frowned, "I do not care but was curious."  
Windy however looked at a loss for words, almost as if her romantic idea about princesses and princes had been shattered. "I always thought priests were stuffy. Not sure why'd you wanna be one."

Meir Valan's walls were made of white stone and the gates the quartet was before were laid open to show the wonders within. Elves and a few other races strolled in and out freely with only guards present to check outgoing carts and any coming in. The four Skylanders drew attention, particularly the two that had the same face but different clothing styles. Windy was admiring the metallic skin tones of the eirian surrounding her. It was like walking into a living treasure vault she thought. Sunlight sparkled on elven skin like it would on any precious metal. There were a few elves with skin tones like that Windy was used to however. They almost looked out of place with their greens and teals. "Wow, this is so much different from a village," the Whirlwindling commented. The area they had entered was fairly open and full of shops, inns and taverns that lined the broad paved road. Along the center of the road and sometimes closer to the edges were large trees that parted the paving stones and left swaths of neatly manicured grass in their wake. The city was clean and the residents looked happy as they went about their daily business. Merchants called their wares, animals being taken for sale and post-sale were led by individuals in study clothing that seemed just as happy as those better dressed. Children ran through the area laughing and playing. From time to time they would bump into someone and get reprimanded for it but nothing worse than a mild tongue lashing ever came of it.

The scope of the city impressed Hex as well as alienated her, she herself had been a simple village girl and wasn't used to seeing that many people in one place. What was more was the fact that while it was obvious she and her twin were undead no one seemed to care. They wished the both of them a good day as often as they did the Pop Fizzling and Whirlwindling. Hex was actually offended by it at first, it seemed as if no one would give her the recognition she felt she deserved. But… there was the fact that they didn't separate her from the others. She had never been considered part of a normal group, not since the change at least. She had respect as a Skylander but like the other undead was still kept off to the side. Everywhere Hex had gone she saw the same, respect for her as a Skylander but distrust of her as an undead. Why was Meir Valan different?  
"She is speechless," Windy whispered to Meilyr. She had chosen to walk with him to keep their two-by-two rhythm going.  
"Thank the light," the gremlin replied with a smirk. "So, what do you think of our home so far?" he asked louder.  
"This is the market district, right? It's pretty cheese. Can we see more?"  
Meilyr looked over his left shoulder to a ball that bounced past him followed by two laughing children. "Assuming Seraphina is leading us towards the palace you will see much more."

Windy got her wish as the change in travel from foot to trekker drawn cart let her completely get lost in her surroundings. The two large reptiles plodded along at a pace brisker than walking but not as fast as they could go due to the crowd weaving all through their path. Past the market district the group of Skylanders came to the artisan area and more industrial sections of the city. The shops here were often attached to forges or craft buildings. While anyone could buy glass from the glass blower it was mainly the shops near the gate that purchased items they further altered by combining them with other selections in the raw to make unique pieces. Swords were forged in the same areas as armor. Jewelry pieces were assembled and sold to other merchants or directly to the person that had commissioned the work. Then beyond that came the residential districts, there was a slight change in buildings to show the increase of wealth as they got closer to the palace that climbed up the gentle slope at the far end of the city. The Temple of Light was positioned near the palace and was the second tallest structure in the city. It was an empowering building with many people dressed much like Seraphina scurrying about in the courtyard.

"How can you stand to live in such a place?" Hex asked after a long period of silence. "How can you stand to be among so many bodies, scurrying about like rats this way and that?"  
"It is all I have ever known," Seraphina replied. "Small settlements are quaint and appealing to me but I find myself missing the bustle of the city after a while. By comparison such places seem sleepy to me and a good way to lose track of time. Not always a bad thing, but I feel out of place there."  
"I like getting lost in the crowds. Mischief making is more fun as well," Meilyr grinned.  
"Watch him," Seraphina warned with an admonishing finger wave. "He will get himself into trouble simply for the fun of it." Seraphina gave the Fizzling a critical eye, "More so now I suspect because he is not recognizable as whom he is. At times I wonder how you became Ani's guard."  
"Who's Ani?" Windy asked.  
"Anicetus is my brother," Seraphina replied as she folded her hands on her lap. "He is the heir to the throne. Ani is the youngest child of King Hayden and Queen Delyth Reve. He is a Skylander as well and has become an Ignitorling. He was there at Fetter Foothold with us though I think you missed one another." Seraphina was watching the driver, he didn't even flinch so either he wasn't listening to her conversation or didn't believe her. It mattered little, all Seraphina needed was for someone in the palace to believe her and grant her entry with her party.  
"Oh I'm meeting all kinds of royalty!" Windy gasped. "How do I look?" she asked while sitting up proudly on the cart's seat.  
"Like Whirlwind in a scarf," Hex replied flatly.  
"You look beautiful," Seraphina interjected when Windy began to skulk. "Your fur is smooth and shiny; your wings have a healthy gleam to them. And you are smiling," the princess said. At the moment Windy wasn't but Seraphina's comment coaxed one out of her. "See, like that. Just smile and bow when I or Meilyr do and you will be fine." She glanced to Hex; hopefully she wouldn't have to tell her the same rules applied to her.

The palace gates were more for an ornate way to divide it's plaza from the square beyond. The only time the gates were closed was when the royal family had stopped seeing visitors. Still when Seraphina glided up to them after leaving the rest of her party standing back she was stopped by two guards.  
"Have you business with the king and queen?" the elf with golden brown skin asked.  
"I have come to call on the Ladies Amara and Morwen, if you please," Seraphina replied politely.  
The guard frowned and turned to the other at his post. "Remain here; I will see if they are accepting of visitors. Who shall I tell them has come calling?"  
"Four Skylanders, should they want more information describe to them how we look."  
The guard glanced at the brooch Seraphina wore that bore the Reve family crest, a stylized Capricorn. When combined with her attire as a priestess the guard knew exactly what name she would give him should he ask. "I know who you are going to claim yourself as. I will tell them Princess Seraphina has come calling. If they deny that you are her you and your party will find yourselves awaiting further inspection in the barracks."  
"Of course," Seraphina said with the bow of her head. It did irritate her to not be believed for who she was but she went through this each time she arrived without an escort from the palace. The guard dallied a moment longer before he turned around to stride quickly across the plaza and its fountain of birds in flight to the palace stairs.

"Is that good or bad?" Windy turned to Meilyr.  
"Good, for now. He accepted her request for an audience with a palace inhabitant."  
"I recognize those names," Hex said. "They were at Eon's citadel weren't they?" Meilyr nodded his reply. "Lovely," Hex growled. All she needed was to run into someone else that remembered how she had acted that night. She glanced to Windy; she probably wouldn't be going by the name Helen for much longer. Oh how the Whirlwindling would be surprised to learn the person she had so chided for reflecting poorly on Hex was in truth Hex herself.  
Seraphina had turned back around to give the other's a reassuring smile but Windy was still nervous. She'd never been inside a palace, she was self-conscious suddenly. Were her feet clean enough? She picked up one to look at, the underside was blackened and her toe pads were like hardened leather but otherwise they were in the same condition as any shoe that had traveled her path. She checked her claws to clean out any dirt on them and fluttered her wings to make sure no broken or loose feathers were there to mar her streamlined look.  
"Light, you are such a girl," Meilyr teased.  
"You could use a comb to your fur," Windy retorted. "Bad fur day?" She smirked and carefully ran her lips over a few feathers of her wing to groom them and remove those that had been shed.  
Meilyr snorted, before the formal event at the citadel Seraphina had taken him to get it trimmed. Now it was as fine a covering as velvet and wouldn't need brushing. Still it made him paranoid until the Fizzling remembered he didn't really care one way or another. "You still have dust in your feathers from the desert."  
"Silence," Hex commanded. If she had to listen to their banter much longer she was going to scream.

After what seemed like an eternity the guard finally re-emerged with wine haired Amara and raven haired Morwen in tow. The two ladies were stepping quickly and forced the guard to follow in a brisk pace. It was obvious they were excited by how they had lift up their skirts high enough for their slippered feet to be seen dashing across the paving stones.  
"Seraphina!" Amara exclaimed as she let go of the section of her skirt she had gathered up and opened her arms for the Hexling. "Is that _her_?" she asked when Seraphina returned her embrace.  
"It is, do not call her by name. Let her introduce herself. I will explain later," she said to Morwen's questioning look. "Oh it is good to see you again," Seraphina said as she motioned for Morwen to join them. The cousins exchanged greetings before looking back to the others. "Meilyr of course you know. I will let our new companions introduce themselves."  
"Hiya, I'm Windy!" the blue Whirlwindling said in a chipper tone. "Pleased to meet cha!" She puffed her chest out and held her ears up straight to mimic the perfect posture she saw Seraphina and the ladies using.  
"Hex," the elven caster introduced herself by her true name. She had stood tall and straight and let the others see her emanate an air of superiority.  
"You are not," Windy scoffed. She shouldered the floating Skylander and gave her a crooked sort of grin.  
"I _am_," Hex stressed with her nostrils flared.  
"Whatever," the Whirlwindling said with a flip of her scarf.  
"Windy, we have a bit of explaining to do in due time. That is the real Hex," Seraphina said apologetically. "Firstly though I would like to introduce you to my cousins Amara and Morwen," Seraphina said as she motioned to each.  
"We have not met many Skylanders," Amara said with a curtsy to Seraphina's acquaintances. She was still wary of Hex but was determined to not let it sour anything.  
Windy bowed back quickly when she caught Seraphina's prompt for her to. "Aw I'm only doing what I love!"  
"Anicetus is here," Morwen said suddenly. "He came with another Pop Fizz-type we mistook as Meilyr at first." She turned to fall into step with Seraphina.  
"Crevan?" Seraphina asked as she moved towards the gate.  
"That would be him, yes," Amara nodded as she followed her cousins.

"Please, forgive me for my doubt," the guard hastily said as Seraphina ghosted by him. "I did it only to protect the king and queen."  
"I understand," Seraphina gave him a small smile. It still annoyed her but she couldn't blame him for doing his job.  
"So where is Anicetus?" Meilyr questioned when he took Morwen by the arm and turned her slightly to face him.  
The lady in waiting placed her other hand on Meilyr's giant paw, he had grabbed her a little hard. She sighed when he let go and pat his retreating hand. "He and Crevan are with your father at the moment. Presumably they are talking about events that led to this." She cast a pointed look towards Hex but said nothing else.  
"My mother?" Seraphina questioned just as she reached the palace steps.  
"In her garden as usual," Amara answered this time. "Teranika's parents were here just yesterday. Had we known you would visit they might have stayed longer. Will she and Rafer be in later?"  
"We will set up a time in which they can see one another again, I promise." Seraphina looked back to Morwen; she knew how hard it was to not know how her sister faired.

Hex hated listening to things that didn't affect her, she couldn't care less about the Hexling's family or the woes of the kingdom she was visiting. She floated alongside Windy at the moment, the two behind the talking cousins and silent Meilyr. Windy was letting her gaze drift; she seemed to be trying to look everywhere at once to take in all she saw at the same time. The Whirlwindling was fascinated with the kingdom. Hex only wanted to leave it again. But she couldn't, Eon had placed her by Seraphina's side and she would follow the Hexling until he said otherwise. If Seraphina was going to take her to royal functions however she was going to start protesting.  
"I don't mean to be rude," Windy said suddenly. "But where are we going? I feel a little weird, like I don't belong." She looked embarrassed and honestly the thought of meeting a king and queen was a little overwhelming. Windy fell silent the moment she set foot in the palace.

The entrance hall was grand with a high ceiling; at the lowest point of the ceiling was a skylight that showed just as much sky as it did the palace towers. Starting at the door and flowing towards the back of the room were sets of freestanding ornate arches, at the back of the room and to either side of the arches was a staircase that swept up towards the second floor and a set of large double doors. The doors were closed so there was no way for Hex or Windy to know it was the king's public audience chamber on the other side. Between the staircases on the same floor as the Skylanders was another door, also closed. This one led to the ballroom but Seraphina led the group towards the right hand side of the room and past the staircase to a shallow pond lined with topiaries and cushioned benches.  
"Morwen, please remain here with Meilyr, Hex and Windy. Amara come with me please. We will summon you when we have an audience with either my mother or father. Once we have procured rooms here in the palace for you for future visits I will allow you to roam the city at your leisure."  
"Rooms in the palace?" Windy repeated in surprise. Her ears were standing straight up and she hardly dared to breathe. "How long are we going to be here? I've already been away from Krystal for several days. Don't get me wrong, you're the cheese and an awesome person to be around but I've got my own plans. Krystal's my biffer; I can't just leave her out."  
"Forgive me," Seraphina clarified with a bow, "I did not mean you must stay but if we should continue to hold company it would be rude of me to make you stay at an inn." There was another word for Seraphina to figure out the meaning of, biffer.  
"I've no problem with that," Hex said as she took a seat on a stool to prevent anyone else from sitting with her. "I would fit in with the 'commoners' better anyway," she said with a sniff.  
Seraphina sighed, "Very well. Forget I mentioned it then. Meilyr, while I am away I suppose you should explain to Windy why we called Hex Helen for so long."  
"Do I have to?" the gremlin whined. "You were always the better story teller."  
"Oh don't worry," Hex said in a sickly sweet tone, "I will make sure you tell the story right." The princess hesitated for a moment longer before she and Amara took the nearest staircase.

Seraphina cast one last look down on the group at the second of the room's shallow ponds before she hovered towards the door to her father's public audience chamber. This was where the city's people would come in order to bring their disputes before the king every other morning. Seraphina could have let the others wait inside but she felt the pond and its flora were more soothing that the room obviously decorated to make sure those within didn't forget they were in the dwelling of their king.  
"Will they be alright?" Amara asked as she swung open one of the heavy doors.  
"Morwen can keep Meilyr under control. If she does not then Hex will; it is as simple as that." Seraphina glided in and left Amara paused at the door for a moment before she too slipped into the room that would grant them further access into the palace.

"Start talking, fur ball," Windy said as she climbed up onto a bench and sat down. Her feathered tail swished lazily behind her and gave her a very feline appearance. "Why did you lie to me?"  
"Hex hates Seraphina," Meilyr started with. By the look on Windy's face he could see his explanation needed more. Morwen too gave him a look that prompted more. "Alright, alright!" Meilyr grumbled. "It all started with the party at Eon's citadel," he began. Meilyr told the story as he remembered it with Morwen and Hex both adding additional comments from time to time.  
Windy listened raptly, she seemed to soak up every detail and her expression changed with the tone of the story from amused to astounded then wary when they neared the end and Hex's drunken outburst followed by Eon's assignment of her to Seraphina. "But why did you decide to go by the name Helen?"  
"I didn't decide; the princess gave me the name. I failed to protest, she kept using it." Hex omitted the part on it being because Seraphina was trying to spare Hex the humiliation of being toted around like an accessory. Something about the way Windy looked at her told the Core that she had figured that part out on her own. "That is in the past," Hex snapped. "You know the truth now so I expect you to stop comparing me to others," Hex said while extending a black nailed finger to the Whirlwindling.  
"You're the boss," Windy said as she sat back on her haunches and raised her front paws in a defensive manner.  
"Yes," Hex said simply as she sat up tall.  
Morwen exchanged a tight lipped glance with Meilyr, neither of them thought Hex could show the king and queen any form of politeness.

It felt good to be back in the halls of home, as much as Seraphina wanted to meander about at a leisurely pace she knew she was on a mission. As she glided swiftly through the halls with Amara at her elbow the two talked about things that had changed since they last saw one another at Eon's citadel. There was still no word on Eloryn, the final princess was still lost somewhere in Skylands or possibly trapped on Earth.  
"They will not admit it but it has been especially hard on your parents," Amara said as the duo stepped outside into the queen's garden. Queen Delyth tended it herself, she had a small amount of help from gardeners but for the most part it was the queen's own hard work that bore fruits. "I trust you have already seen what they helped your Portal Master do on his island?"  
"I have," Seraphina nodded. She glanced down at her feet and had a momentary moment of sadness. She remembered tripped over the paving stones she was now hovering over many times as a child. Now she couldn't even feel the difference in the transition from smooth stone to rough stone and stone to grass or dirt.  
Amara caught the mood and decided to act as if she hadn't noticed after a giving the princess a few moments. "They are trying to reach out to Anicetus's Portal Master to do the same for him."  
"Kaelin!" Seraphina gasped suddenly. She turned to Amara and took the surprised lady in waiting by the shoulders. "Kaelin found us! He visited Sean's island while we were attending Eon's gathering. Galvin is with him, in his message he told me he is restricted to only two days a week in Skylands. I want to meet with Kaelin the moment he arrives."  
"I know," Amara laughed as she reached out to place a hand on one of Seraphina's extended arms. "Anicetus told us about everything. Kaelin's Portal Master's island is a fair distance from this region, it is no wonder he has not made it here or to his mother."  
"I must visit Haven," Seraphina said as she released Amara's shoulders. "I need to tell Queen Elanniah of her son's return."  
"Your father has already sent an embassy," Amara smiled. She watched Seraphina nod then begin to glide across the stepping stones before she followed. Her heart went out to her cousin; she could only imagine what it was like to lose siblings and the love of your life at the same time.

Queen Delyth Reve of Meir Valan did not look the part of monarch at the moment. She wore a sturdy work dress spotted with dirt and stains from crushed greens. Gloves caked in cracked dirt clapped together to dislodge some of the grime and restore dexterity in her fingers. The queen gave a happy sigh as she moved the back of her hand up to rub at an itch on her forehead under her hat. Her face too had splotches of dirt as a testament to how hard she had been working. She brushed dust off her dress as she unfolded her knees and stood up. She stepped back to look at the freshly turned soil and the tiny wooden pegs she had placed to indicate where she had planted seeds. The queen loved working in her garden; it was the perfect place to go to get her mind off of whatever troubled it. Currently it was her missing daughter Eloryn. It had become common knowledge that the destruction of a Skylander's prison didn't lead to freedom but death. Delyth worried so about her youngest daughter's absence and her imagination kept filling in the holes with dark thoughts. The queen pulled her gloves off and deposited them in her basket of tools before she surveyed other parts of her garden she had yet to plant for the season.

"Mother?"  
Delyth spun quickly in both surprise and hope that the voice she had heard was Eloryn. It wasn't but she was happy to see Seraphina nonetheless, the sisters sounded so much alike. Delyth held her arms out wide for her eldest and happily accepted the Hexling's embrace. "Oh my daughter, it is so good to see you again. What brings you home?"  
Seraphina hugged her mother tightly and kept her chin on her shoulder as she replied, "I missed the familiar sights and sounds. That and it was time to return Meilyr home."  
"Oh! You brought the lad with you?" Delyth asked as she looked behind her daughter. She found only Amara smiling sheepishly. Meilyr may not have been her son but he had grown up next to Anicetus and Delyth often reprimanded him as if he were her own.  
"He is in the entrance hall with Hex and a new friend, Windy."  
"I have heard the story of Hex being in your company," Delyth said tersely. "I am not looking forward to meeting the Core, I must be frank."

"You are not with Anicetus?" Seraphina asked as she finally moved back from her mother.  
"Please dear," the queen waved to her niece, "join us Amara. You are a part of the family and are welcome to add to our conversation." She waited for Amara to step up with them before she answered her daughter, "I spoke with your brother for a while before your father moved to other topics. I took my leave then to work on my garden. No news of your sister was brought; I found it hard to concentrate on conversations in light of that fact."  
"Allow me to find father while you ready yourself to greet our guests," Seraphina smiled as she took her mother by the hands.  
Delyth smiled back, "We will greet your friends and have them for dinner though I suspect Hex in particular will be eager to leave."  
Seraphina lowered her gaze, "I wish to remain the night but would rather not give Hex reason to be her oh so charming self."  
Delyth chuckled and stroked her daughter's hair; she looked past Hex's face and chose to see Seraphina as she remembered her. "We will endure whatever scathing remarks she makes, child. Or rather I will. Your father is another story."  
"Light help us," Seraphina managed to say with a nervous laugh.

"No, I promise you my dice are not weighted!" Meilyr said defensively.  
"Then how is it you keep rolling all the points?" Windy demanded. She had Morwen roll for her as the Whirlwindling's paws weren't dexterous enough to do it on her own.  
"To be fair, you have scored yourself," Morwen said as she scooped up the dice. The raven haired elf weighted them again; she couldn't detect anything in them.  
"He's winning though, never a bad roll!" Windy insisted.  
Morwen reached out slowly to Meilyr's upturned paw. "Keep your hand out and away from any other part of yourself or other items," she told him before relinquishing her hold.  
"Childish gambling games," Hex murmured. She had no interest in playing herself, not with the stakes set forward. The winner was going to choose one of Meilyr's potions to make the loser drink, an unfair stake particularly if Windy had no potions knowledge. Still it could prove amusing for Hex and thus was the only reason she was bothering to watch.

"Here I see you dicing in the palace entrance hall, for shame Meilyr De'clan!"  
Meilyr jumped at the tone and voice used and all six of his dice bounced against the floor with three landing in the shallow pool of water to his left. The gremlin was on his feet in an instant with his arms flat by his sides, back straight and eyes wide as they looked nowhere else but forward.  
A stern looking elf with fiery orange hair and rich brown skin with the region's standard metallic flair and vibrant green eyes stood behind the group at the base of the stairs. He had his arms folded behind him and his clothing was pressed and decorated with various metals and braided cords of rope at his shoulders. His boots were so polished they were like black mirrors. His features were so still they could have been carved from stone. His eyes flitted over the assorted group before stopping on Morwen, the lady kneeling at the side of a Skylander he didn't know. "Lady Morwen, certainly you too have not involved yourself in Meilyr's debauchery."  
Morwen rose to her feet fluidly and dipped into a curtsey before the well-dressed elf, "I am sorry Commander Roghallach. I was merely helping Windy roll the dice, she has no hands with which to accomplish this task herself."  
Hex liked the elf already, from his firm expression to the rigid posture and no-nonsense attitude perhaps her stay in Meir Valan wouldn't be that bad after all.  
Roghallach tilted his chin up slightly. "Meilyr, introduce me to your guests."  
"Yes, sir. Of course," he said with nervousness unfamiliar to the usually animated gremlin.

"Commander Roghallach of Meir Valan's army," Meilyr began with a hand extended towards him, "May I introduce you to Lady Hex of Core Skylander fame and Lady Windy, a standard level Skylander much like myself." Meilyr watched Morwen slink off to stand behind Roghallach, it was the best way to avoid that steely gaze of his and the Fizzling was frustrated that he too wouldn't have that option.  
Roghallach dipped into a polite bow before the female Skylanders. "It is an honor to be in your company," he said.  
Hex had to roll her eyes, so many of these big city elves toted about honor for this and that. Ah well, she still liked the commander. "Thank you, commander," she replied with an informal curtsy of her own.  
Windy kept looking at the military elf with wide eyes, his bright hair and eyes next to his dark skin made him look _very_ intense and she got the feeling he was going to be strict. She was just going to have to avoid him, then. "Um, hiya," she said at last. "This is a very nice place you have here."  
"You may repeat that to the king and queen, I am but a soldier here." Roghallach bowed once more before turning to the stairs. "I request that you follow me now, the King and Queen of Meir Valan will see you."

The king's public audience hall was a large white marble room with very little in the lines of seating. There were two chairs near the back of the room, both oversized and ornate. They sat upon a raised dais and were flanked by long black banners with gold lining bearing a turquoise Capricorn with golden hooves, horns and tail fin, both the symbol for the Reve family line as well as Meir Valan. One of the chairs was slightly larger than the other and draped over the back of it, barely visible around the dark haired head of the king was a charging bull wearing a collar of white roses. The king himself was dressed in a deep red that was nearly black with golden accents and embroidery around the collar.  
Above the head of the queen was a similar banner bearing an image of a dove in flight trailing ribbon. The queen was dressed in a pale yellow dress with white tails of fabric on either hip. Directly behind the chairs and between the ruling family's banners was a large curtain, presumably leading to a door and further into the palace.

Along the length of the room, closer to the walls than center of the area, were large Corinthian-style, elaborate pillars. They had sconces with glowing crystals providing an unneeded light as the windows around nearly the whole of the room close to the ceiling let in plenty of sun. On the walls and between pillars were tables holding various items; some looked like dull weapons and others items of power. As a backdrop to the tables the black, gold and turquoise banner of the ruling family was present. The center of the room bore a plush carpet of black fabric that muffled the sound of footfalls as they traveled it.  
In fact, now that Hex thought about it the only other seats in the room were two long, low benches on either side of the empty suits of armor that flanked the entrance door.

Standing next to the right of the king was the Ignitorling Anicetus with his hands folded over the pommel of his sword and his armor once again polished to a shine. On Delyth's right was Seraphina the Hexling dressed as a princess in a white gown with a tan corset worn on the outside and wide, billowing sleeves tucked against her arms above the elbow with tan braided cords. Her hands were empty and clasped in front of her. Her long white hair was pulled back into a thick braid just like her mother's blond.  
Roghallach moved away from the group to stand below the king just in front of the dais that raised the chairs. Already present in the room was the second Pop Fizz-type. He had turned around to watch the approaching group and was positioned several feet in front of the dais. In front of the queen stood another elf in a position much like Roghallach had taken. Avon De'clan, Meilyr's father and Roghallach's captain was dressed much the same as Roghallach with fewer metals. Hex recognized him from Eon's Citadel and the look he gave her said he too recognized her.

When the group reached Crevan at last Morwen ghosted off to stand next to a pillar with Amara and another lady in waiting that had not been introduced to the Skylanders. The unnamed lady bore a sour look unbefitting of her pretty beige face. Morwen and Amara exchanged quick words then fell silent when the overall silence of the room made them feel as if their conversation were shouted.  
When Windy stopped walking at last she was between the two Fizzlings and took a moment to look at them before she turned her eyes back to the king and queen. Seraphina's mother had a kind face and looked much friendlier than her father; he looked stern and seemed to have his jaw clenched as he surveyed the guests before him.  
Meilyr was the one to break the silence, he slid down easily to one knee and bowed his head before he introduced the two Skylanders he had arrived with then ventured forth a guess that Crevan was the other Fizzling with them. Only when the king told Meilyr to rise did he. He wasn't surprised to see Crevan in a bow but did widen his eyes at Hex's curtsy and Windy's bended knees. Just barely he caught Seraphina straighten her own posture; she had prompted them into action.

"I welcome you to Meir Valan," King Hayden said in a voice that was at least gentler than the set of his face led the others to believe. "I understand that in these strange times it is unusual to see Skylanders so far from the Core of Light and center of Kaos's schemes. I thank you for lending your time to my two children," he held a hand out to each one briefly before folding them again on his arm rests. "I also understand that while you are allies you are not in the roles of protector for them. I do not expect you to do so but would appreciate sending word to us should something happen."  
Hex held her tongue, she owed _nothing_ to this king he wasn't her king after all. Still she couldn't hide her dislike of the situation and her expression grew ever darker, something that the queen didn't miss and kept her eye on the Core thereafter.  
"I would also like to extend to you and your Portal Masters an offer of alliance. If there is anything I can do to aid you in your quest do not hesitate to ask."  
"Thank you, um sir," Windy said slowly. "Krystal will be happy to have your assistance." She didn't know that for sure but assumed she would. Someone with their finger on the pulse of Skylands would prove most beneficial.  
"It would be an honor, King Hayden," Crevan said with a formal bow. "I am sure Beth and her other Skylanders will benefit from your assistance greatly."  
Meilyr glanced sideways to Hex; the Core had her lips pressed into a thin line in her refusal to answer. He glanced back to the king to see him raise a questioning eyebrow before the Fizzling barely shook his head. He swore he heard whispering from Anicetus but couldn't be sure.

The queen rose at about the same time Roghallach and Avon knelt down and her two children bowed their heads. Meilyr and Crevan both knelt as did the three ladies near the pillar. After a moment Windy followed suit but Hex merely mirrored the bowed head of the two royal children. "Please, stand," Delyth said softly. "There is no need to make this a formal instance. I understand it was a surprise for the majority of you to find yourselves in our halls. We are pleased to be your hosts for the duration of your stay in Meir Valan but I understand your obligation as Skylanders. I invite you to join us for dinner and will offer you room and board here in the palace should you decide to remain with us for a while."  
"Thank you for your hospitality," Crevan bowed his head. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a look of disdain from Hex but chose to ignore it.

The royal couple spoke a while longer about the city and what was open to the visitors in the palace before they concluded the meeting and gave the visitors leave. The king and queen exited the room first via a door behind the curtain as expected. Avon and Roghallach turned to usher the visiting Skylanders out as Seraphina and Anicetus descended the dais to join them.  
"All the pomp and ceremony I expected," Hex said with a sniff. She had hoped for a reaction from the two army officers but didn't seem to care either way when they did nothing.  
"Cheerful," Crevan said softly once Anicetus was within range.  
"You have no idea," the prince groaned. He looked out to his guests before raising his voice so all could hear, "As of this moment you have free reign of Meir Valan. Go and see the sights of the city, enjoy yourselves in the markets or theater. I can provide you with escorts if you wish," the Ignitorling offered.  
"I will be fine on my own," Hex replied as she ghosted out of the room ahead of the others. Roghallach picked up his pace to follow with a nod to Avon to let him know he had it under control.  
"I will take one," Windy said with a paw up. "I don't want to look like a wandering shoob," she laughed at herself.  
"I will go with her," Morwen offered as she scurried up then curtsied before Seraphina.  
The princess nodded, the arrangement worked for her. "If Windy decides she would rather depart than join us for dinner please see that she has transport beyond our borders. That flight would tire her out terribly."  
"Na, I'll just get Krystal to open a portal or I'll take myself out of Skylands. I'm starting to miss my Portal Master. But I'll be back tomorrow!" she said quickly. "If I don't see you before I jet outta here it's been fun. Thank you for letting me see a real palace and king and queen." Windy didn't see Seraphina hand Morwen the coin purse she had tried to give the Whirlwindling earlier but Morwen seemed to understand what it was without an exchange of instructions.

The room was now filled with only inhabitants to the region, Crevan being the only one not from Meir Valan itself. "I have heard much about you," the Fizzling said as he dropped a paw onto the armor plate of Meilyr's shoulder.  
"I heard a little about you," the gremlin replied. He stared openly at his fellow Fizzling. "Like looking in a mirror. Unnerving."  
Crevan grinned; again there was that insane light in his eyes granted by his borrowed form. "You have yet to be in a large group of others like you. Try keeping names straight when all the faces are the same."  
"You up for a little potions practice?" Meilyr said with a mischievous light in his eyes.  
Crevan turned to the prince; his flames were a bright, soft yellow. "Somehow I am expecting pay back for the ostriches."  
Anicetus laughed and Meilyr looked confused. "That is classic Meilyr; I will have nothing to do with it. Although I would like to join you if you do not mind allowing me access to your potion scrip?"  
Meilyr grinned widely at that, "The more the merrier!"

Seraphina glided up to the two ladies in waiting, only one of them truthfully hers but with the lack of Eloryn those assigned to her sister differed to Seraphina. "It is good to see you again, Aelwen," Seraphina nodded to the brown haired lady.  
Aelwen sniffed and looked past Seraphina to the departing trio. "You do know they are going to scare that poor fellow from Hawk Ridge."  
A chuckle preceded Seraphina's reply, "I think Crevan can handle himself." She glanced to Amara, the other lady had told her the story she had heard from Anicetus first about the visit to Crevan's home and ostrich pens. Seraphina glanced back to Avon, the only other occupant left in the room. "Is there something you wish to ask me?"  
Avon shook his head with a smile. "It is good to see you back in these halls, Seraphina. Is there any chance my nephew and his lovely wife will be joining us tonight?"  
Seraphina blinked at his statement, it was entirely possible for that to happen. "Come with me, Captain," she said to him. "I will take you to where the pilot of the ship is that we rented for this escapade. If he is willing to make another trip you will be able to meet with Rafer and Teranika before bringing them back here."  
"If you have no need of me, Princess, may I be dismissed?" Aelwen asked.  
"Of course," the Hexling replied. "Amara would you care to come with me? I would like to go for a ride through the country before dinner."  
Amara curtsied, "Of course. I would enjoy a ride as well."

* * *

Author's notes and frequently asked questions can be found in the "Odyssey" forums. The link is in my profile.


	11. Unwinding

**Unwinding**

The courtyard Crevan found himself standing in with Anicetus and Meilyr was used mainly for storage. There were crates, some obviously very old judging by their decay, stacked against the walls. A plain well sat in the very middle. Covered but not sealed, it simply hadn't been used in a very long while. The walls around the courtyard saw some traffic, the occasional palace guard walking by in their rounds or in the change of a shift. Most paid no mind to the gathering of Skylanders in it but a few had stopped and strangely enough were placing bets, at least which was what it looked like to Crevan.  
The Ignitorling pulled out a few crates with the help of Meilyr and set them up to form a rough table of sorts. "You dice?" the prince asked Crevan.  
The Fizzling rubbed his hands together with a nod as he approached the make-shift table. "I know a few games, what are we playing?"  
"This is one Anicetus and I made up," Meilyr grinned. "We play with three dice. There are no points but you have to guess what number you are going to roll. Total number I mean, include all six sides of the three dice for your guess. If you roll above the guessed number it counts as a win. If you roll below it that is a loss. If you roll the number you guessed you must guess and roll until you get either a win or lose. Oh yes, no guesses below eight out of fairness. You can guess as high as you want though. However that will just increase your chances of losing the roll."  
"The rules of this are simple. You mix only non-harmful potions. By that I mean potions that will not cause illness or wounds. If it gives warts, changes the color of hair or gives you a tail it is a valid potion. You must know what will happen when any potion you make is used and have knowledge of a remedy available. Remedies must be won, just as losing a round equates the use of a potion on you. You win a remedy for one of your ailments from the person that gave it to you. You can pick which condition to reverse. To win a remedy when you currently have no active potions allows you to automatically remove one ailment of your choosing any time during the game. Potions are made at the time of the winning or losing roll."

Crevan began to laugh, "Oh yes. This is definitely payback for the ostriches."  
"I must hear this story," Meilyr said with his ears up straight.  
"Win three rounds in a row and one of us will tell you," Anicetus said with a tone that said he was grinning.  
"How do you determine when the game is over?" Crevan asked. "And is there such a thing as a winner?" He liked the sound of this game, it was just as insane as the races he and his sister had.  
"In this game there are no winners, we will all lose at one point or another," Anicetus snickered. "As for how it ends that is as soon as one of us starts to get so bogged down with potions it causes nausea. The remedies are administered at that point and we simply recuperate from the alchemy storm."  
"How do we determine who rolls first?" Crevan took the die Meilyr offered him then watched the other Fizzling hand one to Anicetus as well. "Ah, high or low?"  
"Low, of course," Meilyr grinned with his tongue barely sticking out past his teeth. He cupped his hand and shook before releasing the die. "Oh, a five. Tough to beat!" He watched Anicetus roll a two and grumble about it before Crevan rolled a six. "Ok, age before beauty," Meilyr grinned stupidly at Anicetus.  
"You are two years older than me," the Ignitorling huffed as he scooped up all three dice. "You will roll last, Crevan," he said as he rattled the dice in an armor clad hand. "Eleven," Anicetus proclaimed before letting the items clatter across the uneven surface of his crate collection. The dice stopped on five. "Bah, Crevan mix the first potion for me," the prince said with a huff.  
"Oh yeah, we have never played with three before," Meilyr murmured as the other Fizzling removed his bag and began to rifle through it. "How will we determine who mixes the potion?"  
"We will go back and forth, next time Anicetus loses you will mix it," Crevan offered as he set to work. The Fizzling seemed very picky about what he was choosing and kept looking at the Ignitorling. "Can you even drink a potion?"  
"I might boil it," Anicetus shrugged. Granted that would ruin the game for him if so.  
"Well if not the next potion will just have to be applied to your armor." Crevan shook up the bottle of a strangely green liquid with white bubbles then handed it to the Ignitorling. "To your health?" he grinned.

Anicetus seemed to regard the potion carefully before he raised it to what would be his lips and tilted his head back to down the liquid. As expected it made a hissing noise as it hit his flames and for a moment there was worry it might extinguish him. "It bubbled," the Ignitorling coughed. "I could not taste a thing though." Suddenly he fell over backwards with a loud crack. Meilyr leaned over the table to see what the matter was and his concern quickly turned into amusement and raucous laughter.  
"Oh light, did anyone bring a mirror?" Meilyr cackled with laughter. "You look ridiculous!"  
With great effort Anicetus pulled himself back up to rest heavily on the crate. Sprouting from his helm was a set of massive antlers comical for their size alone. Every move the Ignitorling attempted made his head wobble and threaten to tip him back once again. He reached up with one hand curiously and felt along the surface he was feeling. "If we were awarding points I think you would have just scored insanely well, good show," the Ignitorling laughed. He was known for his temper but when the point of the game was to make others look ridiculous he could set his temper aside knowing his chance to one up them would come soon. "Use this one on Meilyr when you get the chance, Crevan. I want to see him try to hold himself up." The antlers were _heavy_ and the prince couldn't wait until he was rid of them and someone else wore them.

"My roll," Meilyr beamed as he rounded up the dice and rolled. "Ten," Meilyr proclaimed. He rolled a ten, with a smirk the gremlin scooped up the dice again, rattled them and called a twelve. He got an eleven. "Blast," he sighed. His eyes flashed between Anicetus and Crevan. "Ani, your potion." Meilyr knew the prince was going to try and show up Crevan but at the same time he really didn't want the other Fizzling giving him antlers just yet.  
"Right," the Ignitorling said as he rifled through Meilyr's bag. Some of the potions were labeled, some were not. Anicetus asked about the ones he couldn't readily identify and began to set things aside before he mixed out of Meilyr's sight. The resulting potion was so pink it glowed, literally glowed. "Cheers," Anicetus proclaimed in a happy voice.  
Meilyr sniffed the potion first and made a face as his ears laid back on his head. "Smells like something died and was left to ferment in the sun for a week before stink weeds were added."  
"Sounds appetizing," Crevan said in disgust.  
"Promise you will not die," Anicetus said with his hands up. He fell back again with the weight of the horns and pulled himself up with a grunt just as Meilyr pinched his nose and upended the bottle.

The change was instantaneous. Meilyr's ears grew longer and floppier all the way to the courtyard stones before his blue fur turned to green feathers with a yellow scaled belly. His face elongated slightly into a short, rounded muzzle with his canines on the top growing comically large and making anything he said sound slurred. "If I drool," the Fizzling murmured as he felt his face and went cross-eyed to stare at his snout. To illustrate his point he made a slurping noise and the gesture used to indicate he was going to spit at the prince.

Crevan was holding his sides as he laughed, yes this game was going to have to be repeated with others. If only he could convince other alchemists in Hawk Ridge's army it was a wonderful way to blow off steam. "My roll?" He snickered when Anicetus nodded and wound up face first on the crates. Meilyr laughed and pointed after moving out of the way, his insanely long ears jiggled the whole time. "I call fifteen," Crevan announced before he rolled a sixteen.  
"Oh, no fun this round. Next one, Blue Hawk," Anicetus called Crevan by the name commonly used to describe Hawk Ridge's alchemists. "Eight," the prince called before he rolled twelve. "And your luck holds," he chuckled before passing the dice to Meilyr.  
"I ho' yer 'inking 'ow yer gonna ge' 'im 'ack," Meilyr said around his fangs. He made a face at how he couldn't even understand himself before he scooped the dice up. "Hen," called.  
"I was not aware there was the image of a hen on the dice," Crevan laughed.  
"No! Na 'hen', 'en!" Meilyr stressed. Anicetus was laughing now too and Meilyr scowled before he rolled a three. "Really?" he growled then pointed to Crevan for his potion.

"I will go easy on you," Crevan wiped a tear from his eye before he turned to the potions. His sides were going to be hurting if this kept up, the gremlin thought with amusement. The resulting potion was strangely clear; again Meilyr sniffed it and shrugged before he downed it. Meilyr's features melted again, this time his muzzle turned into a beak and he sprouted a crown of feathers that rose in surprise when the Fizzling saw his beak.  
"Awk!" Meilyr exclaimed before he slapped his hands over his beak and stared at Crevan. "I almost preferred the muzzle, awk!" He couldn't seem to control the bird noises and even sounded like an angry grackle when he grumbled. At least the teeth were gone though, that was one good thing.  
Anicetus had to pick himself up off the courtyard again when he leaned back too far to laugh. "Blasted antlers, I will take that remedy now Crevan," Anicetus grumbled. He had completely forgotten to ask for it after his win. It had been too funny to listen to Meilyr try and talk around his enormous teeth.

The commander of Meir Valan's army had no illusions about trailing Hex unseen. He was well aware of the fact she knew he was there and made no effort to hide himself. The people of Meir Valan kept calling to him in greeting and the commander returned their friendly gestures as he would any other time he was out and about. Hex was drifting through the city quietly and in no hurry to go anywhere even though she was obviously heading back towards the west gate. Roghallach knew the basics of why she was following Seraphina and intended to keep Hex in sight for the sake of the princess.

At last Hex came to a stop in the plaza directly in front of the gate before she turned to the elf. "If you are so determined to escort me then come here and introduce yourself properly."  
"Commander Roghallach Tierney at your service," the fiery haired elf said with a bow. "I meant no disrespect, Lady Hex. The city is large and it is easy to lose yourself within it."  
"If I had interest to explore the city then would be possible to get lost. I am sure you've figured it out by now that I don't wish to wander the streets."  
Roghallach smirked with a nod, in Hex's eyes he was rather handsome but that was all she would let herself admit. "Then allow me to accompany you on your walk outside the walls. Should you wander into the trees it will be ever so easy to get turned around."  
Hex made a face and almost told him no but decided against it. She held company with so few people that a part of her did crave attention and this was the first time in days she found herself with one person as opposed to a whole gang of them. "Very well," she said as she turned back to the gate and began to glide towards it.  
Roghallach caught up with her easily using a longer stride and matched his pace with hers as they exited the city. The Core's presence could become a political matter if she was not shown the same common courtesy as other visiting dignitaries.

"Tell me about your city," Hex said once they had put the gate a fair distance behind them.  
"Meir Valan is one of the oldest elven kingdoms. Tour itself holds the majority of old kingdoms that are still populated. So many other elves have returned to smaller settlements and focus mainly on trade to provide their villages with what they need. Meir Valan is self-sufficient and capable of exporting surplus goods. We have a large army that can be dispatched to aid others and has defended the region from Kaos's army for years. The island continent of Tour is rich in natural resources and if he were not so cowardly Kaos could have long ago utilized what the land has to offer. His scouts fall short of their mark each time he dares send them in. Meir Valan remains vigilant of this. As peaceful as the city may be it would not be possible without the combined effort of all the allied kingdoms. We would gladly help the Skylanders in their battle and have. While perhaps we have not been involved directly in the same battles we have thwarted the movements of his outlaying forces and reinforcements multiple times."  
Hex nodded, she knew of the armies that marched against Kaos's forces. She remembered the rally during the rediscovery of the giants and the reports that said Allies of the Light were gathering to face the arkeyan forces if Kaos should succeeded in awakening them. As proud as Hex was to be a Skylander there was always the possibility their elite team would fail and the contingency plan would have to be used. The armies of Tour were the most numerous and most well-known, Hex did indeed feel safer knowing that they would step in with aid if the Skylanders needed it.  
"What else would you like to know?" Roghallach questioned. He understood Hex's demeanor well and would wait for her to make prompts rather than supply the information himself.  
The Core turned to face Roghallach and halted him in mid step. "You must know enough about me from the tittering ladies that have so attached themselves to your princess." Roghallach didn't flinch or give anything away about what he was thinking. Hex didn't expect any less from a hardened war veteran. "I find your city too bright, too big and too loud. That is why I wanted to be out here and away from it all. I allowed you to keep me company because you do not have that annoying habit about you of being chatty and sparking small talk for the sake of hearing yourself speak. You say what you mean and get right to the point. I can tolerate your presence in that case," Hex said as she folded her arms. "I want to make it clear however that I am still my own person and will make my own decisions. If you worry about what your king may think of returning without me don't bother. I will return when I am ready and not a moment before; he is not my king and will not order me around."  
"Abide by our laws and the king will have no quarrel with you." It wasn't a threat, it wasn't a promise but rather a stated fact that Hex knew the commander would personally uphold.

Hex opened her mouth to say something but seemed to freeze for a moment before she frowned and looked around her.  
"What is it?" the commander asked as he placed his hand on the blade he had belted to his hip.  
"Another Skylander tied to my Portal Master has just arrived. I felt the portal open then close."  
Roghallach removed his hand and let his arms go slack at his sides. "Who is our guest?" Seraphina was too timid to request her Portal Master use his abilities to send her home or she might be a more common sight. Roghallach thought it was a pity but that had always been Seraphina's largest flaw; if she felt her request would be a burden to someone or make them think she wasn't able to do it herself she simply wouldn't ask.

"Cynder," Hex said partly to answer the elf but more so in greeting to the dark dragon that was striding towards them.  
"Hex," Cynder said with the bow of her horned head. She turned cool emerald eyes on the elf and cocked her head to the side, "I trust you haven't gotten yourself into trouble already?"  
Hex scoffed as she hovered in place, "An escort courtesy of Meir Valan's king."  
Cynder's tail swayed slowly as she sat down and folded her pink lined wings by her side. "Yes, when Eon realized who the princess was he felt he needed to make amends." Though she didn't come out and say it there was hinting that Cynder was telling Hex she should feel ashamed for putting Eon in such a position. "I'm Cynder," the dragon said with a bow of her head.  
"Commander Roghallach," he replied with another bow.  
"Commander," Cynder repeated as her eyes flashed to Hex again. "You must have made a lovely first impression."  
"I came without prompt," the elf interjected. "Lady Hex is a guest of the princess and I did not wish for her to become lost in her meanderings." He noticed Hex bristled at his reasoning of thinking she needed someone to look after her.

"I merely came to see how you were doing and to ensure everyone was safe. They are still safe, aren't they?" Cynder smirked.  
"I have done nothing to any of them, despite the temptation," Hex replied.  
"Then you won't mind me seeking them out to see for myself?" Cynder spread her wings with the promise of flight.  
"Lady Cynder," Roghallach extended a hand. "If you must enter the city I implore you to do so on foot. The flight of a dragon will startle the people. At the gate ask for Carwyn De'clan and inform him I asked him to escort you to the princess."  
"Very well, I can manage that." Cynder was slightly irritated by the red tape but was determined to set a good example if not for her then for the rest of the Core Skylanders. Eon had trusted her with the task after all which meant he had faith in her, faith Cynder didn't want to disappoint. Cynder looked to the gates and folded her wings; she could bear to walk the distance. "If I do not see you before I leave, Hex, this weekend you are to return to Master Eon for evaluation. Your tenure with the princess will either end or be extended based upon his assessment."  
Hex scowled but nodded anyway. "I want to walk that way," the Core said as she pointed towards the spires of Hawk Ridge.  
"That is our neighboring kingdom," Roghallach informed her.  
"I want to walk that way; I did not say I wanted to enter the city."

Cynder turned towards the gates of Meir Valan and set on her way. Hex had said nothing about how the people of the city reacted to her. It was obvious that she and Hex were undead, if the sorceress was able to walk the streets un-accosted then odds were in Cynder's favor of a similar ease. There was something about the city that reminded Cynder of the crypts she used to haunt. Granted the city was above ground and well lit but the towering structures brought up memories of similar sights in the depths. From the stalactites and stalagmites to pillared facades, the city had a familiar feel to it. It wasn't that Cynder was nervous about entering the city that was just how she chose to look at it.  
Slow and steady was Cynder's pace. She knew the guards at the gate had spotted her as had the people trickling in and out with trekker drawn carts. So far so good, no one had done much more than point. They knew she was a Skylander and their stares were hardly those of fear or caution. It felt good to be recognized for her tenure as a Skylander rather than her past. Cynder chuckled to herself; the way people looked at her now was due mostly to her copies. Unlike Hex Cynder _liked_ her copies. They were helping change how others viewed her.

No one completely understood how it was decided which Core each of the copies would become but the most common belief was that the person shared enough traits with the Core to become like them. Cynder's copies were kind, fiercely loyal and still a bit shy. Through them Cynder was finally overthrowing the yolk of her enslavement by Malefor. Cynder still struggled with old habits like taking matters into her own hands and being gruff, blunt and snappy but with time she was putting it behind her. The complete lack of fear displayed by these elves brought a smile to her face. Children waved and smiled at her; the end result made her heart swell with pride. Being accepted could brighten any moment.

"You would be the seventh Skylander to enter Meir Valan today," one of the guards said to Cynder. "Allow me to save you some time, who is it that you seek?" He was clearly expecting her to name someone in the royal family.  
"Carwyn De'clan," the dragon replied as she sat on her haunches. She was expecting a delay at having to explain herself.  
"Carwyn," the guard said as he screwed his nose up, "The king's best ranger? Do you come bearing news of his son?"  
"No," Cynder replied with the slight tilt of her head. She had no knowledge of anything dealing with the copies Hex had gotten herself involved with. "Commander Roghallach sent me to call on him as a means to find an audience with Princess Seraphina."  
"Light," the guard sighed as he ran a hand over his face, "made a wonderful impression on her today." The guard peeked through his fingers at the dragon. "You would not happen to be Princess Eloryn would you?" He relaxed when Cynder stared at him flatly then shook her head. "Come with me, I can take you to where we might find Carwyn."

It felt right to be sitting astride Moonlight again. Seraphina had missed her snowy orniteryx terribly and was pleased when Moonlight recognized her on her first trip home months ago. Moonlight had been kept active, fed and trained the whole time. Seraphina had Carwyn to thank for that; the ranger had looked after the mounts her brother, sister and even Meilyr and Galvin rode during their absence. The only thing that took away from the moment was the hastily modified riding dress the princess wore. It was a little snug in some places and too loose in others but at least she was out with Moonlight again.

The white bird called softly to the cream and chocolate trekker Amara rode. The lady wasn't as skilled in riding as Seraphina was but she at least wasn't hopeless. Amara's mount was more even-tempered than an orniteryx and faster but Seraphina's mount was stronger and hardier. "Are you ready to return already?" Seraphina asked. They had barely started, after leading Avon to the pilot and sending him on his way to meet with Rafer and Teranika the princess turned priestess walked back with Amara to the stables to saddle their rides.  
"No, it has just been a while since I last rode. I have to get a feel for Meera all over again," the lady said with a wavering grin.  
"Get her running and you will remember it in a snap," the Hexling said with a snap of her fingers to emphasize the point. Moonlight cooed softly almost as if she agreed.  
"That is what I am afraid it will take!" Amara said with wide eyes.  
"Light," Seraphina chuckled as she gently tugged the reins to get Moonlight to turn around to the left and come up behind Meera.  
"What are you doing?" Amara asked as she stiffened up on the saddle.  
"Nip," the Hexling commanded Moonlight. The white bird ruffled her feathers along her neck up until the point her riding helm covered them before she stretched her neck out and nipped the trekker's thigh. The lizard yelped and trotted forward a few paces with Amara sitting stiff as a board on her back. "You will find yourself saddle sore twice as fast if you sit like that. I know you remember the lessons, Amara."

The lady in waiting relaxed with a sigh and looked more at home on the trekker's back. "I should have kept up with it. We were just so afraid we would miss news if we strayed too far from the palace." The lady looked over her shoulder and down the rise the two had climbed to the north wall of Meir Valan.  
"Get Meera walking or I will have Moonlight make her move." Seraphina grinned when Amara willingly upped her mount's pace to a trot. She responded in kind with Moonlight. "Good. We should take them as far as Hawk Ridge's gate then bring them back home."  
"Looking to torment poor King Faolan?" Amara laughed.  
"If he is at the gate, perhaps," Seraphina chuckled. One of these days she did plan to visit the king, she hadn't seen him since before the change. He was an old childhood friend of hers despite how much they teased one another. "Come, it will be better to run them up the ridge at an angle then walk them back down." She clicked her tongue and flapped the reins once to get Moonlight moving at the speed she desired. Amara fell behind before she decided it was better to stay with her cousin and urged Meera on.

Windy was having a blast with Morwen; the lady was showing her all the most interesting shops. Windy actually got to help make an enchanted item that boosted the user's health by applying her healing light to it at the right moment. In return for helping the enchanter make so many of the items she had been given one free of charge. The Whirlwindling kept peaking at the gem that hung out from under her scarf. It was translucent with a sheen that changed colors from blue to pink depending on how the light hit it, moonstone the enchanter had said it was called. She was ever so proud of herself for making it and couldn't wait to show Krystal or her other Skylanders. Morwen had shown Windy all kinds of stores, from those that made weapons to jewelry and clothing to home furnishings. The artistry of Meir Valan fascinated Windy and she found herself wanting to purchase various items. Reluctantly Windy had finally accepted the coin purse Seraphina had been trying to give her all along. But now that she had gold Windy found herself being frugal and talking herself out of buying anything.

"Alright, now that I have taken you to places I thought you might like what would you like to see next?" Morwen asked the Skylander. Unlike Windy she had made purchases, a few new scarfs and a pair of gloves as well as a brooch to wear for special occasions.  
"Do you have an arena?" Windy asked hopefully. "I like watching matches and sometimes participating in them."  
"We do," Morwen said slowly. "But it will not be like what you are expecting. Usually it holds jousting competitions and races but very little true combat. There are practice yards at the temple and at the collage though."  
"College?" Windy said as she screwed her nose up, "what kind of practice could a college possible be doing that I'd find interesting?"  
Morwen laughed and prompted Windy to follow her, "The mages' college," Morwen explained. "Where our casters go to practice their arts. The temple has a yard just like it for the same purpose."  
Windy was embarrassed by her statement suddenly, "You must think I'm such a shoob," she said with drooping ears.  
"Shoob," Morwen repeated the word slowly almost as if she tasted it. "I do not know what this means."  
"Like calling someone a newbie." Windy paused; here newbie might not have the connotations it did on Earth. "Um, it means someone who just doesn't get it. Kind of like being stupid but not that mean."  
Morwen nodded slowly, the word was interesting. "No, I did not think of you as a shoob," Morwen smiled. She looked up to the height of the sun and appeared to be lost in thought. "Come with me, I think you will find the practice yard of the temple interesting. You might also get insight into what makes Seraphina so much different from normal princesses."

As Cynder followed the elven guard she caught sight of another Skylander bounding around happily next to a well-dressed lady. Cynder took the maiden to be someone of importance or at least wealthy. At first she thought the Skylander was Whirlwind but after hearing bits of conversation she could tell the voice didn't belong to the Core.  
"Lady Morwen," the guard said when he noticed Cynder's gaze. "The little blue hybrid was traveling alongside Seraphina and two others."  
"Ah," Cynder said simply. It didn't matter to her their names, it was a good sign however that the Whirlwindling seemed to be in good spirits. Perhaps Hex had shown restriction after all. Cynder followed the path of the two with her eyes, never once did either individual see her as they spoke animatedly to one another. The city streets were bustling and before long Cynder lost sight of the other Skylander and her escort. In the distance on the far end of the city Cynder could see the palace. She wondered why it wasn't located in the center of the city for protection. If the Skylander ever found the chance she would have learned that the palace and the climbing gardens behind it were backed up against a cliff's edge. It was the very same formation that gave Hawk Ridge its name.

The guard kept glancing over his shoulder to Cynder. The dragon was a little unnerving to him, not because she was undead though. It was simply because she was a dragon and his experience with them was limited to the old tales of malevolent dragons that hid in the shadows and stole away the weak of will. "I do not think I got your name," the guard prompted.  
"I didn't give it to you," Cynder said wirily. She was in a mood to toy with the elf for a bit if he was going to insist on making conversation as they made their way to the palace.  
"Right," the guard replied as he looked forward again. Silence followed that as his armored feet made a clopping sound against the paving stones of the street. Did she have to walk behind him? Why not beside him, he felt as if he were being herded. "So," he began at last, "what is your name if I may be so bold as to ask?"  
Cynder chuckled and moved up to pace the elf, he looked straight ahead and actually seemed to tense up now that she could see his expression. She would have to be careful; she didn't want to undo all the good her Cynderlings had done in her name. "If I told you I was Cynder would you believe me?"  
"The Core?" he asked, his tone said he didn't believe her.  
"Were you aware that one of the "twins" you admitted earlier was in truth Hex herself?"  
"No," the guard said slowly. Was he missing the significance of this or was it just his imagination?  
"Well now you know!" Cynder said cheerfully. The tone sounded too fake to her and she had to suppress her laughter before she made the poor guard think she was toying with him. "Call me what you want, I am sticking to the name Cynder."  
"Well I can hardly call you Dragon," the guard said flatly with a glance in her direction. "Cynder it is and Cynder will be the name I tell others you gave me."  
"I can live with that," Cynder grinned wirily.

King Hayden Reve watched the antics of the three alchemists in the courtyard below his window vantage point. He had always been proud his son had chosen to study alchemy as an elective hobby. The game he and Meilyr had invented was another matter entirely. Still the king found amusement in how they so twisted one another physically all for a laugh. It was seeing a fresh face join the insanity that made Hayden smile again at his son's skill. Oh, make no mistake about it he was going to reprimand Anicetus over playing with such dangerous substances but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it from a hiding spot first. Anicetus was an adult now after all and capable of making mistakes, learning from them and handling the repercussions himself. The only thing Hayden ever worried about was how it would reflect on his city and family. So far Anicetus hadn't done anything to embarrass the city or his father.

Hayden moved from the left side of the window and shifted to lean on the right side instead. He knew the game was coming to an end, the three players were so twisted they were no longer recognizable and the throng of off-duty guards gathered on the walls above the courtyard were beginning to up their bets and change them a final time. Meilyr, at least the king _thought_ it was Meilyr looked something like a fish with feathers, horns and hair. His lower body was reminiscent of a mer-creature while his torso had a very heavy build and double arms of a yeti. His fur though had been replaced by feathers that seemed to molt every time the Fizzling moved. The courtyard had a flurry of disturbingly pink downy feathers all over it. His head got interesting; the young guard had curling ram horns and a vulture's face. There were no feathers on his head but he did have a wonderfully pea-green mohawk with pink stripes in it and oddly enough tusks like a warthog's sticking out from behind his beak. Meilyr was a mess.

Anicetus was no different. Hayden could be sure that was his son as he still retained a flaming head made of cracking fire. Anicetus's face was long and narrow like a horse's and his ears were replaced by fins. Incorporated in his hilariously under-proportioned torso were bits of the suit of armor he was bound to. Hayden couldn't quite tell what Anicetus's torso was supposed to be but the comedic effect when coupled with the impossibly thick tail he had corkscrewing behind him made it seem irrelevant. Anicetus was making the most amusing expressions as he tried to manipulate dice and potions with his spindly tentacle arms. His thick elephant feet were the only thing keeping him propped up and his head somewhat steady.

Crevan though was a work of art, it was obvious Anicetus and Meilyr had worked together to build something other than a hilarious conglomeration. The second Fizzling was an enormous dragon now with a graceful neck, powerful wings and a menacing tail. He had a crown of horns as well as razor talons he manipulated delicately to roll the dice or make potions. However he did have the misfortune of being an electric pink with irritatingly green polka dots, glowing blue underbelly and screaming red horns with wings that were striped in orange and blue alternatingly. At one time a very large and ridiculously floppy ladies' hat had sat atop his head. His last potion win had cleared that up nicely. Hayden understood them to be at the part of the game where losing the roll was much more fun than winning it. They were daring each other to come up with something better.

"I cannot believe you are simply going to stand there and watch them drink those vile things."  
Hayden froze, how long had Delyth been standing behind him? Had she heard him laugh at certain transformations? "My dear," Hayden said in an effort to stall for time. "I was merely admiring their ingenuity with what they are mixing."  
"Of course you were, husband," the queen said with her soft eyes unblinking.  
Hayden sighed and rolled his shoulders, "Come now dear. You know as well as I that their role as Skylanders protects them from any lasting effects. All they need do is return to their Portal Master's home world and everything is reset."  
"And our guards?" Delyth asked with a slender finger pointed towards the crowd on the surrounding wall. "Are you going to accept their behavior, even if it is off duty?"  
Hayden clenched his jaw; his wife did have a point. "No, I will not. I will personally collect their earnings and donate them to the healers," he said before he turned away from the window. Hayden stopped when he heard soft laughter from Delyth. He turned back around to see her with a hand to her mouth and her smile all the way up to her eyes.  
"The dragon has vibrant yellow pigtails now with large green bows," the queen said in the middle of a fit of giggles. "Stop them, Hayden, before word gets back to the other Skylanders of their antics." She managed to school her features and sweep away her mirth. "Send Anicetus and Meilyr to me in my garden," Delyth commanded before the queen glided off.

Anicetus was laughing hard as was Crevan as he fluffed up his pigtails. The humor had drained from Meilyr however. With a groan he set his head atop their makeshift table of crates. "Out," he said at last. "I am out." His head swam and his stomach churned, he felt as if he might get sick. Meilyr ran one of his feathered yeti hands over his eyes and used the second pair to keep him from falling to either side. From their audience came loud groans from some and exclamations of glee from others.  
"Time to start the remedies," Anicetus chuckled. "We get him well enough to start mixing again then we go in a circle to undo effects on each other."  
"You alright there?" Crevan asked as he bent his long neck down and turned his head sideways so he could look into Meilyr's eyes. The Fizzling barely registered him and merely groaned his reply. "If you become unable to reverse what you have done I am just going to have Anicetus give me normal colors before I fly back home to visit my sister. She will be rather surprised, I think," Crevan grinned in a draconic way as he lifted his head back up.  
"I think she might send some of those birds you have raised at you in fear. Although if you go in your current colors she might die laughing," Anicetus grinned back as he finished his first potion. "Here, Meilyr. This will take the fish tail away."

Windy had seen the drow lance masters utilize their pole arms as stabbing and slamming weapons but she had to admit there was artistry to the way the warrior priests fought with them. She heard them crack against one another, whip out to sweep legs from under an opponent and flail around the body for a three hundred and sixty degree attack. Sometimes they stabbed at feet to make an opponent change their footing before a quick thrust upward threw the off balance opponent into defensive mode. "Lance masters," Windy snorted.  
"Pardon?" Morwen asked as she tore her eyes off the dueling priests.  
Windy shook her head, "The drow I fight like, every day that use those," she pointed with a clawed paw, "must be untrained. They are nothing like that."  
The lady could only shrug; she herself had never witnessed it and couldn't say. "It is getting late, Windy. We should finish this match and start to make our way back to the palace to be in time for dinner."  
The Whirlwindling looked up at the sky; it couldn't be much past late afternoon. She was used to eating after sunset. "Already?" Windy said with a slight whine. "But I'm having so much fun. There's so much to see and do here!"  
"You said you will return tomorrow, it will wait until then," Morwen reminded her.  
Windy nodded absently as she turned her attention back to the practicing priests as one delivered what would have been a fatal blow in real combat. She sighed and rose to her feet as the other spectators applauded the bowing contestants. "Let's go. I _do_ want to see how you guys cook around here."

Seraphina and Amara walked beside their mounts for the final leg of the return journey. Moonlight was still holding her head up proudly and walking with purpose. Meera was ambling about slowly and sniffing at spots of tall grasses and bushes before nibbling at them.  
"I miss having you, Anicetus and Eloryn around," Amara finally said what she had been thinking the whole time. "No one ever said you have to stay on your Portal Master's island, right? I mean he _is_ a Portal Master so he can summon you from anywhere. Is that not how it goes?"  
"That is correct," Seraphina nodded. "Yet I cannot bear the thought of leaving the new friends I have made through Sean alone. Some of them are still searching and others see family only rarely due to any number of issues. I cannot turn my back on them simply because I could have a better life back here in Meir Valan."  
Amara sighed, "Sometimes you can be the most frustrating person in the world with that logic of yours, you know? At least get into the habit of visiting us more often. I will harass Anicetus too if I must. Light, I even miss Meilyr and his pranks!"  
Seraphina furrowed her brow in thought, "It has only been the past few days that we have found one another again. You may get your wish." The princess looked up and towards the palace just as Moonlight nuzzled her gently. Seraphina smiled and stroked the orniteryx's head. "When we find Eloryn I can promise you more time will be spent at home." The princess sighed, "If we could only get Kaelin and Galvin into the possession of one of our Portal Masters. And find Niall, then things will return to a sense of normal."

"Niall was that priest from Hawk Ridge that mentored you, right?" Amara asked.  
Seraphina nodded, "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Niall never joined the Skylanders but followed me when the rest of us answered Spyro's call. If only we had come through a portal he would have been spared. He was never trained to use them that should have kept him safe."  
Amara nodded along to Seraphina's out loud thinking, there was nothing she really had to add to it.  
"Come," Seraphina said a moment later as she began to hover a little faster. "Let us return our friends to their pens and get ourselves ready to dine with my parents."  
"Hopefully Roghallach survived Hex," Amara said sourly.  
Seraphina smirked, "Hopefully she survived _him_. I would hate to be known as the Hexling that helped assassinate the original." Amara couldn't help but laugh. The usually stoic and controlled Roghallach was known for his fury when someone finally managed to get under his skin and Hex just might be able to accomplish that task.

Carwyn De'clan was usually out on the country roads beyond Meir Valan's walls. He worked with other rangers to ensure travelers weren't harassed and kept poachers from harming the native wildlife for sport. The trolls that lived out in the barren plains loved to slink back into the forests to mar its untamed beauty. Today however Carwyn had taken off from his usual duties and was instead working in the stables. He had a small stock of animals ranging from ostrich to orniteryx and trekker. Mainly he looked after the animals left behind by those that had become Skylanders. It was here that a city guard found him in the gated area surrounding the palace.

The champagne skinned elf stopped forking in hay when he saw the head of a dark scaled dragon watching him with green eyes. "State your name and business," Carwyn demanded of her escort.  
"Oran Ceilidh," the guard said with an armored fist banged against his breastplate. "I bring the Core Skylander Cynder to meet you, directed by Commander Roghallach to find Princess Seraphina."  
Carwyn pulled off his dirty gloves and studied Cynder carefully. He didn't know why he bothered, not as if he could tell the Core from a copy when he had never met her before. "I would offer you my hand in greeting but I am sure you would prefer I not. Allow me to clean myself a little. I can tell you however that your best chance at meeting with the princess is to remain here." Carwyn pointed to the empty stall, "She should be returning from her ride soon."  
"Then I will wait," Cynder said simply as she sat down. "You have done your task, you are free," she told the guard.  
He licked his lips and looked to Carwyn for confirmation. Only after the ranger nodded did he turn to leave.

Cynder took a long moment to look at everything that surrounded her before she turned back to the elf. He had vanished behind a blind and come out in different clothing and smelled of soap besides. "What is a ranger doing mucking out stables?"  
"A favor," he replied simply. "I handle only this particular stable. The others are left to the king's stable hands. Why do you seek the princess? Would it not have been wiser to visit the king and queen first?"  
"My business is for the princess," Cynder said as she shifted her weight. And that was that, she didn't feel like telling Carwyn anymore.  
"You are in luck, she has returned," the elf said as he looked past her. Carwyn's features transitioned into a smile as he walked past the Core to greet the returning riders.  
"Who is our guest?" Seraphina questioned as she turned Moonlight's reins over to Carwyn.  
"Cynder," he replied. "She has business with you apparently." The ranger held his hand out for the reins Amara carried but she shook her head and followed him instead to the stalls.

"Princess Seraphina Reve?" Cynder asked when she finally turned to greet the Hexling. The other two elves had gone towards the entrance of another stable area to give the Core and princess privacy. Cynder liked the respect shown here. If only some of the other Cores had the same decency.  
"I am," the Hexling nodded with a curtsy. "I recognize your voice from Eon's celebration."  
Cynder rose to her feet with a nod, "I was trying to be impartial during that event. I hope I didn't give you the impression I was the same as Hex."  
"When you allowed Rafer to move in himself I knew you had not taken sides. Thank you," the princess said. "Now then, what is it that brings you to me?"  
"Eon has requested that I check up on you. This weekend he is going to call Hex back for an evaluation. If she returns it will be because he believes she has not learned what he intended her to learn. If not you can consider yourself free of her fatalistic views."

Seraphina removed her riding gloves with a thoughtful expression. "I do not know what Eon would like her to learn but she has shifted ever so slightly in how she acts around my allies and friends. Until we arrived here, she is very set in her ways against royalty." The Hexling tucked her gloves into the narrow belt she wore around her waist before she folded her hands in front of her.  
A grin spread across the dragon's face, "That's Hex. Anyone that has it easy in her eyes is deserving of scorn." Cynder looked back over her shoulder to make sure the other elves hadn't returned and when she didn't see them she faced Seraphina again. "Would you allow me to accompany you for a while and make my own observations?"  
"Of course," the princess smiled, "I will extend an invitation for you to join us at dinner. Amara and I were just returning so that we may clean ourselves up before we join the others."  
"So you still eat?" Cynder asked. "Hex has all but broken herself of that, calling it a pointless waste of time if she doesn't actually need food to keep going. I was surprised when she nibbled at Eon's citadel."  
"It somewhat recharges the magic flowing through my veins so it is not entirely useless," the Hexling explained.  
"Oh no, I understand," Cynder laughed, "Hex believes she could spend the time required in more productive ways. Sleep is only allowed because the lack weakens and slows her."  
"Please," Seraphina prompted, "Come with me. Let us gather up Amara and Carwyn before we return to the palace."

Meilyr whistled as he and Anicetus, now looking like their usual Skylander selves, re-entered the palace from Queen Delyth's garden. "Your mother can be more terrifying than your father when you have crossed the line," the Fizzling commented.  
"I still say we could have used the bets father collected to fund an expedition to find Eloryn," the Ignitorling grumbled.  
Meilyr's expression softened, "We will find your sister. Look at how fast we have found each other. We must have all landed in the same release pool."  
Anicetus knew that wasn't the case but appreciated Meilyr's line of thought anyway. "You heard my mother, get yourself ready for dinner. I think I am going to return to my room for a while. I have not set foot in it for two years." He shrugged before waiting to see what Meilyr had to say.  
"Not a bad idea, really," Meilyr murmured to himself. He had a chance to be back in a familiar setting and surrounded by familiar items and would be a fool to not take it. "In that case I will pay my mother a visit as well as Lorcan and his family."  
"Tell your brother I said hello," Anicetus waved to Meilyr before the two took different halls.

Hex glided along at Roghallach's side. The elven commander never tried to make small talk if Hex didn't prompt him first. His presence kept other elves from approaching the Core in awe. This was the kind of escort Hex could get used to. They were back in the city now and nearing the palace. Hex would join her hosts for dinner. She may or may not eat, even if she thought it was pointless there were certain things she rather enjoyed the taste of. The silly little city elves scurried out of the way and looked back silently at the Core and Commander. Hex liked respect but felt the life of a noble was far too soft. Give her the adventures of Skylands any day over the slow life of a princess.  
"Will you be staying with us through the night, Lady Hex?" Roghallach asked.  
The Core scowled, "I will be in Meir Valan but not the palace. I will take a room at an inn. _I_ will pay for my room and _I_ will choose the inn myself."  
Roghallach kept his gaze forward and nodded. He gave no indication what he was thinking on the outside. In truth Roghallach was glad she would be out of the palace, she had such an air of disdain about her the commander could taste the bitter emotion. _This_ was the Skylander Seraphina had been patterned after? "Very well. Do you have a means for the princess's party to summon you on the morrow?"  
"I will find them. It will not be hard," Hex replied as if he should have already understood that simple fact.  
"Of course," he replied. Yes, Hex was far too intense for Roghallach's liking. Still she was a renowned hero and he would show her the respect she had earned. "When we arrive I can take you to a temporary room where you may rest until the gathering begins."  
"I will accept this offer," Hex nodded. A moment to herself before she was thrown into a mass of people she didn't know nor care to know would suit her well.


	12. Lost and Found

**Lost and Found**

Avon De'clan was a silent passenger for the gillman's copter. The pilot didn't seem to mind, he was being paid handsomely so he would happily spend the whole of the day either chauffeuring Skylanders or their allies around. It was growing late in the day now, the sky had begun to change colors just barely with the promise of sunset.  
"This island," Avon said as he pointed out his side of the copter. Without any other passengers he had taken the co-pilot's seat. Avon didn't have the faintest idea how to pilot the thing but the experience was a story to tell nonetheless. One thing he could do without was the headset he wore. The technology to fly the copter wasn't widely understood by anyone other than the arkeyans and if the pilot needed to wear the headset and couldn't hear anyone that wasn't also wearing a headset then Avon had no choice but to wear the heavy and clunky item.  
"I thought you said you couldn't read the dials," the gillman pilot smirked at Avon.  
"I cannot. But this is the island that matches the description I was given."  
"Light you have a scary accurate sense of direction," the pilot murmured as he turned dials and flipped switches for the descent.  
Avon had to chuckle, "My brother Carwyn is far better at it than me. He could taste the dirt off a boot and tell you were the wearer had tread." The gillman gave Avon and incredulous stare. Avon's laughter grew in intensity. "I am just joshing you," he said with a grin. "Carwyn is more skilled but not _that_ skilled."  
"I was about to say," the pilot muttered.

Avon had asked the pilot to join him as he walked towards the meeting spot. He would be waiting for a little while it seemed, while there were people in the area Seraphina had told him he would find Rafer and Teranika none of them matched their description.  
"I have to say, that was the first time I've ever flown to Tour. I think I am going to stay at an inn tonight and explore it a bit more tomorrow." The gillman's walk was more of a waddle as he struggled to keep up with the longer legged elf.  
"There is much to see, if you get the chance visit Uzern, Star Pointe and Haven," Avon suggested. "Hawk Ridge is our closest neighbor and easy enough to visit." Avon studied the people waiting near Seraphina's meeting bench. There was a Skylander among them, the sky baron Jet-Vac; or rather a Jet-Vacling. He too seemed to be looking for someone and seemed impatient about it. Avon gave him a nod when he and the gillman stopped in the area.  
"So who we lookin' for?" the pilot asked.  
"A Flameslinger-type and a Stealth Elfling," Avon replied. The Skylander suddenly seemed to be paying attention to them. Rather than ignore him Avon decided to address him. "Pardon me; I noticed your reaction to our conversation. Have you seen the two?"  
The sky baron clicked his beak and studied the two travelers. "I don't know you, wasn't expecting you. One of them was named Rafer, you give me the other's name and someone they normally meet and maybe we'll have a conversation."  
"Teranika is the Stealth Elf," Avon replied as his heart rate increased. He was suddenly ill of ease all because of how the Skylander was acting. "They were expecting Seraphina, a Hexling or her brother Anicetus the Ignitorling."

"I'm Conner," the sky baron said with a sigh as he visibly relaxed. "I'm afraid I have some bad news. Sam has suddenly decided he has no desire to be a Portal Master. Earlier today he began to sell or otherwise rid himself of his Skylanders. There are so few of us left, we are doing what we can to inform our own contacts and those of the Skylanders he has already parted with what is happening." Conner swallowed hard at the sight of Avon standing stiff as a board with his nostrils flared. "Rafer and Teranika were separated and given to different persons. I am sorry; I don't know where they are or how to find them."  
"Oh no, I am so sorry," the gillman pilot said with slumped shoulders. All he could think about was his nephew and how it would feel to lose him again after having found him.  
"Thank you, Conner," Avon said in strained voice. "You should probably head on to other endeavors now that your message has been passed."  
"I'm sorry," the sky baron said with downcast eyes. "I knew their loved ones would want to know. I'm sorry I had to even tell you in the first place." He swallowed hard, he could hear the change in the elf's breathing and it gave him a lump in his throat. "I'm going to leave now," he said softly as he turned around slowly. His feet felt heavy as he walked away, light he felt terrible for delivering the news and leaving just as soon.

Avon took a moment to stare after the departing Skylander with his right hand on the back of his neck and his left balled into a fist. How could their Portal Master do that? Amara and Morwen had returned with stories of how he had told Rafer and Seraphina that it was possible to get them both in the care of the same Portal Master. How could he so easily pass them off?  
"I will get you back to Meir Valan to pass on your news as quickly as possible," the pilot said softly after letting Avon have a moment.  
"Yes," Avon said as he finally tore his eyes off the sky baron. "They will need to know. Need to know the search begins again." Avon's voice cracked, that was his nephew and niece-in-law he was talking about. "We should go," Avon announced as he turned and briskly began to walk back to the arkeyan copter.  
The gillman cast one last sad look in the Skylander's direction before he turned to trot after the elven captain. Once back in his copter he was going to get on the com-link and inform others of what he had just learned. Eyes and ears across Skylands would hopefully learn something useful.

Wrapped in a towel and fresh from a bath Seraphina stared at her wardrobe, she had so few items tailored to fit her hopefully temporary Hexling self. One garment for each function she might attend to while in Meir Valan. Her closet contained one riding dress, one formal dress, one every-day dress, one formal priest robe and one nightgown. It would of course be the formal dress she wore to dinner. It was a pale satin-like lavender color. She loved purple in darker shades but normally dressed in bright shades as her mother had insisted that dark shades were for one of two things; older women or those in mourning. As Seraphina was neither of those things she didn't own a single dark colored garment. The princess sighed heavily and took the formal dress out. Hex was slightly taller than her with less accentuated curves so the dresses had to be tightened in some areas and elongated in others. Not that Seraphina much minded them being a little short. Most of her dresses touched the floor before the change, to have them now just barely off the floor was welcome. Seraphina grunted as she looked down at her bare, wiggling toes. Her feet didn't even _touch_ the ground anymore unless she was sitting. Why was she worried?

The familiar feel of magic made Seraphina yelp as she dropped the dress she had just taken from the wardrobe. Dressed only in a plush towel she clutched the fabric tightly to her chest as her nostrils flared and her eyes widened at the sudden and unwelcome appearance of someone else in her bedchamber.  
"Oh holy fish sticks!" the Trigger Happyling exclaimed as he snapped his hands up over his eyes and his ears quivered. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" he squeaked before turning his back to find a door he ran out then slammed behind him. "Sorry!" his muffled voice said through the door.  
"Coriander!" Seraphina squealed, "What in the name of the Core of Light are you doing in my bedchamber?"  
"Sean sent me," he replied rapidly through the closed door. "I'm sorry!" Coriander sighed and there was a thump, presumably from him leaning on the door. "Sean sent me to bring you to him. He has a surprise for you, Seraphina. He found Eloryn and has set up a meeting!"

The door opened quickly, Coriander's eyes widened before he turned his back quickly on the Hexling still dressed only in a towel. "Stop doing that!" he hissed. Honestly she had no right to get mad at him if she was going to keep popping up like that.  
"Where, where did he find Eloryn?"  
The urgency in her voice was something the gremlin had never heard. "Just get dressed," Coriander replied. His ears were still quivering, at this rate he felt they would never stop.

The Hexling was now fully dressed in her pale lavender gown and had donned a circlet made of gold with amethyst crystals set into it. The speed at which she was hovering through the halls of the palace made poor Coriander run to keep up with the taller Skylander. He knew he didn't have to tell her to hurry, he simply needed to wait for her to inform her parents of what she had learned then they could have Sean open another portal.  
Seraphina gasped when she nearly slammed into Crevan. The Fizzling was well groomed now and if not for the fact his fur was longer than Meilyr's she would have thought him the other. "Forgive me!" the Hexling apologized with a hand over her heart.  
"No harm done," the gremlin smiled back before he looked past her. "Who is your friend?"  
"Coriander," the smaller Trigger Happyling waved. "We have the same Portal Master, he sent me here."  
"My sister has been found," Seraphina exclaimed as she took Crevan by the hands and nearly danced with him. "I am on my way to find my parents. Will you tell Anicetus for me?"

"Tell me what?" the Ignitorling asked as he emerged from another hall. "We have more guests?" he asked upon seeing the smaller orange gremlin.  
"Ani!" Seraphina exclaimed as she let go of Crevan and threw her arms around her brother. "Sean found Eloryn! I am going to meet her now."  
"I am going too," he said quickly as his flames grew in intensity. The Ignitorling released Seraphina and looked between her and the orange gremlin. "Where is she, I will hail Issac to open a portal."  
"You should be able to use the same portal," Crevan said.  
"I didn't think it worked that way," Coriander said slowly.  
"A portal is a portal," Crevan explained. "It does not matter who opens it, so long as you have a Portal Master anyone can use the portal created."  
"I am going to start involving Sean more in my travels," Seraphina sighed. "A portal here and there will save so much time."

"Do mother and father know?"  
Seraphina shook her head, "I was on my way to tell them."  
"Please, allow me," Crevan said with a bow. "Go now; there is no telling how much time your sister has. You can inform your parents of everything once you return."  
"Thank you," Seraphina smiled before latching onto the Fizzling with an intense hug. He looked surprised by it and simply stood there blinking. "Come on," she grinned at her brother before taking him by the hand. "Sean," Seraphina said aloud, "I am ready and my brother is coming with me." The mechanics of how it worked weren't completely understood but so long as it worked no one really cared. A swirling, glowing vortex opened up on the floor in front of Seraphina. Coriander bowed and motioned to it as an indication she should go first. Seraphina hauled Anicetus along behind her and was gone in an instant.  
"Nice meeting you…" Coriander prompted for a name.  
"Crevan," the Fizzling smiled. "Thank you for your news. It was a pleasure," he offered a short bow before the Happyling stepped through the portal. A moment later and the extra light in the hall was gone leaving Crevan by himself. The Fizzling inhaled deeply and let his breath out slowly, maybe he should have at least asked for directions to another part of the palace.

"Over here!" the miniscule gremlin called with a grin and wave before he ran down the garden path they had arrived on.  
"Where _are_ we?" Anicetus asked. He wasn't sure what to expect but the garden clearly wasn't it. Well-manicured lawns, expertly tended flower beds and precise angles on the hedges made Anicetus think of his mother's garden back on Meir Valan. This place was much farther west however, they still had an hour of sunlight left whereas the day had nearly vanished back home.  
"I do not know, only that our sister is in that direction," the Hexling pointed after Coriander. She followed him briskly with Anicetus close behind. Now that she thought about it the garden they were in the middle of was rather large. In fact it seemed the whole of the island was a garden save for the building down the path. "If this is a Portal Master's island he or she puts a lot of effort into landscaping." There wasn't any room left for anything else among the winding paths, benches and walls of hedges separating seating areas.

Coriander had stopped and was staring back at the royal siblings, his tall orange ears stood up straight as he tried to calm himself and keep from bouncing. The little gremlin had been one of Sean's first Skylanders along with Bard the Gill Gruntling and Rork the Spyroling. They had been packaged together as a 'starter pack' for new Portal Masters. The three of them were among some of the most numerous copies floating around. How it was that those three Skylanders had so many copies was unknown just like so much else surrounding the whole ordeal. Tree Rex, Cynder and Jet-Vac also found themselves with numerous copies for the same reason. Sean had one each himself; Sean had collected nearly every type of Skylander out there but didn't currently possess them all. He would often send his Skylanders to another Portal Master to help reunite families. And that was what this whole trip was about, Coriander grinned to himself. Sean was going to make a purchase soon if he hadn't already and couldn't wait to reunite the sisters. Coriander was pleased to see Seraphina's brother traveling with her even though they had different Portal Masters. The Fizzling he had seen was unknown to him, if the Happyling had known he was from yet another Portal Master he would have been impressed. "Sean's just inside," Coriander said once the siblings had finally reached him.  
"And Eloryn?" Anicetus anxiously asked.  
"I haven't met her yet," he shook his head. "She's not in Skylands just yet. Her Portal Master is awaiting Seraphina's arrival before he summons her. It's sort of to make sure Sean's not trying to scam him."  
"Of all the," Anicetus sighed and shook his head rather than finish his thought. He had heard stories of callous Portal Masters out to build their collection and or profit. Anicetus was right behind Seraphina when she approached the door and opened it.  
"I'm good here," Coriander raised a hand when the princess looked back to him. "Sean sent me to bring you back. This is your adventure from here on out." As he spoke a portal opened behind him and the Trigger Happyling stepped into it. "See you soon!" he waved before he vanished.

The lair Seraphina floated into had a very cozy entrance. She didn't even notice when Anicetus gently moved her to the side so he could enter. It looked like she had walked into someone's living room rather than a common room for Skylanders. There were chairs flanking tables full of books or collected curios and even two long couches with a coffee table sitting before them. A few bookshelves lined the walls, their shelves dotted with books and other curios. Sitting across from one another in two of the plush chairs was Sean and another holographic Portal Master of a portly build with insanely bushy eyebrows and moustache. Both rose with the entrance of the Skylanders.  
"Princess Seraphina," the unnamed human said with a nod to her, "And Prince Anicetus. Eloryn will be double surprised to find her brother awaiting her as well."  
"This is Stephen," Sean said with an outstretched hand to his fellow Portal Master. "Stephen is one of several Masters that maintain this island. Their Skylanders are ever rotating. Stephen is part of an organization seeking to reunite Skylanders with loved ones via accepting disowned individuals."

"Disowned?" Seraphina said in shock, "How can people simply give up a Skylander? We are not possessions but living beings! They would not treat their children any differently, nor their pets."  
Stephen held his hands up to calm her, "You must understand something; most of the Skylanders we get come from Portal Masters who are unable to fulfill their duties and do not wish for their Skylanders to become collectors of dust on shelves in their residence. Sometimes they are rescues, such as your sister. We have many Skylanders here donated by people who aren't Portal Masters themselves but happened to come across one of the poor lost souls. We make the database searchable with certain names findable if you meet requirements." Stephen waved suddenly, "Never mind the technical aspects. Give me a moment to focus my attention back on Earth and I'll bring Eloryn in." No sooner had the round Master spoken did he seemingly vanish when his holographic image blinked out.

Stephen blinked a few times, he always felt groggy when returning from Skylands. The heavy-set man stretched as he stood and walked to the nearby table where a lone Flashwingling figurine was sitting.  
"Well?" she asked once he was in front of her. Eloryn couldn't do a thing when his meaty hand picked her up and moved her towards the portal.  
"See for yourself," Stephen grinned before he returned to his chair and prepared to send his consciousness back to Skylands.

Eloryn's heart was racing as the flash of light overtook her and the rush of travel swept her away. Eloryn's knees instinctively bent when the sensation of floating was replaced by the solid feel of ground below her paws.  
"Elo?" a familiar voice called.  
"Sera!" the newly arrived Flashwingling cried. Her white dragon scales picked up the color of her amethyst crystal accents to give her milky hide a soft purple color. "I'm hideous!" the Skylander wailed. "Look at me!" She shook her crystal wings and sat on her haunches before raising her front paws. "Look at you!" Eloryn gasped, "You are a corpse!"  
Seraphina kneeled down and threw her arms around her sister in an effort to comfort her. "We are still who we have always been," the eldest princess said. She didn't care that Eloryn was now a dragon; all she cared about was having her sister at last.  
Eloryn squirmed either from disgust of what her sister was or simply because she didn't feel like an embrace, "It has been horrible," the Flashwingling sniffed as tears began to flow. She looked away from her sister to the Portal Masters then the Ignitorling standing silently nearby. "Who are you?" Eloryn asked in a voice that cracked.

"Anicetus," he replied softly.  
"Oh Ani!" Eloryn wailed. "What happened to us?" She pulled away from Seraphina and stretched out a front paw to touch her brother's armor. It was hot like she expected but it didn't scorch her thick scales. Eloryn turned sad eyes back to her sister. "Is this us? Is this how we are going to be forever? A reanimated body, a non-corporeal spirit in a metal shell and a scaly lizard?" Her amethyst tipped tail quivered as she held it close to her rear in a way similar to a scared dog's reaction.  
Seraphina rose slowly to her feet. "For now this is us." She looked back to Sean and Stephen, "Thank you; both of you." The two nodded their reply.  
"Everything appears to be in order, Sean," Stephen said as he motioned for the other Master to follow him out to the garden. "I will get her ready to ship in the morning and you should have her by the next day," the heavy man said before vanishing into the dusk.

Sean watched Stephen pull the door closed behind him. "She is torn up," Sean said. He hadn't met any Skylanders as repulsed by their new forms the way Eloryn was. Even the ones unfortunate enough to become undead had taken it stoically, they saw hope.  
"Eloryn was brought to us by a teacher that had heard her sobbing from the lost and found bin in the school office," Stephen explained. "Did you know that if a Portal Master alters the Skylander the changes become part of their default look in Skylands?" Sean shook his head slowly. "Eloryn had been colored with black and red marker; rather poorly as children are known to do. When she came to us she was a mess and ashamed of how she looked. Careful cleaning removed the marker and restored her to normal. We had to give her a fresh coat of paint when some of the marker refused to come out of the grooves between her scales. She still considered herself ugly even after we restored her colors. It is strange when you consider the special edition Skylanders not having different looks in Skylands. We have other Skylanders that are similarly upset about who they mirror now. There are a few who really do have reason to be upset, that is another story however."

"I'm not worried about her attitude; I am hopeful that having her around friends and family will help."  
Stephen nodded and looked back to the door. "We'll give the siblings time to talk then I'll return to get her ready for travel. The sooner she has a connection with one of her siblings the better. She has been very vocal in the warehouse you should know. Eloryn is a complainer and starved for attention."  
"She will be in Skylands full time once her figure arrives," Sean promised. "Seraphina and their brother just came from home and family. She will find what she needs, everything except maybe a cure for what she no doubt sees as a disease."  
"You'll still have your work cut out for you. Eloryn can be rather demanding; all she ever did when given chance to exercise here on the island was insist we open a portal for back home. Having no sense of direction or ever having a Skylander in that region we were unable to."  
"She has her siblings. I'm not worried."

Eloryn had climbed up on a sofa and sat there brooding with hunched shoulders. She had stopped talking to her siblings even though they sat to either side of her. Anicetus kept checking the couch to make sure he wasn't going to set it ablaze and Seraphina was silent with her hands folded in her lap.  
"Who else have you found?" Eloryn asked at last.  
"Rafer and Teranika," Anicetus responded. "They are a Flameslingerling and Stealth Elfling respectfully."  
"They are also married," Seraphina added after she cleared her throat. "We found Meilyr as well, he is a Pop Fizzling. Kaelin and Galvin we know of but have not yet met up with. Kaelin is with Stampede, the two are a Fright Riderling. Galvin has become a Sunburnling."  
Eloryn's head popped up at the mention of Galvin. "A Sunburnling?" Her mind could only think of how he shared her misfortune of becoming nothing more than an animal. There was an instant camaraderie with the Skylander she hadn't yet greeted. "And a Fizzling," she murmured in reply to Meilyr's state. Teranika and Rafer were the luckiest of them all. "Niall?" her head swiveled back towards her sister.  
"Missing," she sighed. "We have found nothing to indicate what he is or where he may be."  
"He was not an initiated Skylander," Anicetus mused, "Will we even find him? Kaos's machine hit us and his forces at the same time but only Skylanders were affected. Niall could have…"  
"Do not say it!" Seraphina hissed with wide eyes. She knew what he meant, if Niall wasn't banished and had been missing for two years then that meant he had perished on the battle field. Anicetus held his hands up apologetically and ducked his head into his shoulders in difference.

"I am tired," Eloryn said at last. She hopped off the sofa and made her way towards the door. The Flashwingling reared up on her hind legs and grasped the door knob between her paws to open. The two Masters outside turned at once to see who it was. "I want to go," she said plainly to Stephen.  
"Very well," the portly human nodded. "It was a pleasure speaking to you, Sean. I will keep you in mind when it comes to fostering Skylanders in the future. Speak more with Linda; she's the one setting up the foster program."  
Sean extended his hand to shake then laughed when he remembered the two of them were holograms. Stephen chuckled and extended his hand anyway, it was the motion that counted. "Thank you, I know your organization means so much to the Skylanders."

Seraphina was halfway between the door and the sofa before she simply stopped moving. Eloryn had her back to her and Anicetus and seemed content to remain that way. The Hexling watched the Flashwingling's tail sway while her wings twitched. This wasn't the Eloryn Seraphina remembered; the only time her sister refused to talk to her was after they had fought. No harsh words were exchanged, what had happened?  
"It is alright," Anicetus whispered softly to Seraphina. He tilted his head to the side to draw Seraphina back further into the room before he continued. "Remember how I reacted when we spent time together taking out the dragonet nest?" He was embarrassed to bring it up judging by how his flames turned a pale pink color. "I think Eloryn is going through the same thing."  
Seraphina had opened her mouth to say Rafer and Teranika hadn't but decided against it. "I suppose you are right. Light, Ani," Seraphina sighed and ran both hands over her face before keeping them over her heart. "This is not how I pictured the reunion." Seraphina turned around when she felt a ripple of magic, Eloryn and Stephen were gone. "What do we tell mother and father?" Finally she removed her hands from her heart.  
"That she is well and a Flashwingling. That is all there is to tell them."  
Seraphina gave her brother a knowing smirk, "Mother will expect more. We will do what we can."

Sean remained out in the garden for a while longer until the two Skylanders emerged. "Let me get you back home," he said. "The way you are dressed tells me you were getting ready for something that I most likely made you late for."  
"It is alright," the princess said with the shake of her head. "Thank you for finding Eloryn. It means a lot to us and my parents."

Hex wore a sour expression on her face when she entered for dinner. She was already aware of the fact Seraphina and Anicetus had left. The way she saw it though was they had abandoned her to deal with all the nobility now gathered in the dining hall. And what a crowd it was the king and queen at one end of the table with Commander Roghallach and the ranger Carwyn on the other side of seats presumably reserved for the royal children. Also present were Amara, Morwen and Aelwen the ladies in waiting for both princesses. Meilyr and Crevan as well as Cynder and Windy had already been seated. There was a new face as well that obviously didn't know smiling to Hex as she sat down by herself wasn't going to get him anywhere.

"I am sorry I was not here sooner," the new elf with metallic ecru skin and reddish-brown hair said. "I hope Anicetus will return soon. I am anxious to see the lad again." Lan Taggart was Anicetus's groom-in-waiting. To be a groom or lady for the royal family the elf granted the position had to be of noble blood. It was someone close to the family but not necessarily in line for the throne. Lan's parents were just that, country nobles who only owned the land they lived on. Lan had been Anicetus's teacher in the art of swordsmanship; so too had Meilyr trained with him when he was assigned to be a royal guard at a young age. Seraphina's guard Rafer would practice with him but learned his skill with the blade from his adoptive father Carwyn.  
"Thank you for having us," Cynder said from where she was perched on a stool beside Lan. The Whirlwindling kept staring at her, hardly believing her eyes at the luck of traveling with yet another Core. Cynder saw the royal family differently than Hex, she liked how polite they were and accommodating. Cynder felt comfortable around them and didn't question their acceptance of her or the other undead.  
"It is not often that we are honored with the presence of Core Skylanders," the king said with a nod of his head.

Delyth said a quick thank you to the servant dressed in palace livery as he poured her a goblet of wine. "I hope the city has been welcoming for you?"  
Cynder nodded about the same time Windy did so vigorously and Hex merely folded her arms across her chest. "Your people are unafraid of my status as an undead creature. I am grateful for this."  
Delyth closed her eyes and sighed, "Undead are not a common sight around here. But you are a Skylander and the faith these people have in you allows them to ignore that aspect. It is not so for anyone else that does not bear that title." The queen offered her a small smile in hopes the truth wouldn't offend.  
Cynder shrugged, she didn't care why they respected her. Just that they did and that it wasn't out of fear. Hex's expression however said she wasn't pleased with the admission. "Thank you," Cynder said to the servant when he reached her. As with Windy, Cynder drank out of a bowl. While they could manipulate items with their dragon claws their dexterity wasn't as good as those that bore hands and fingers. Just because Cynder and Windy were going to be served in a manner similar to a pet didn't make them bitter or any less capable of utilizing table manners. They sat at the table with the elves and were served the same way, only their presentation was different.

"Lady Hex was simply brimming with questions when I accompanied her on her walk this afternoon," Roghallach said from his position near the king and next to the seat reserved for Anicetus.  
"I stopped asking questions when he began to ask me about Skylander duties. You can ask your princess or her servants for that," Hex said flatly. Meilyr and Crevan wore nearly identical looks of surprise complete with quivering ears, to take that tone with the commander and in front of the king and queen was a gutsy move.  
"I will answer questions myself if you wish," Cynder covered for the other Core. She shot Hex a quick glare, how dare the elven sorceress do anything that might also affect her standing with Grandmaster Eon.  
"In due time," Queen Delyth said with a hand on the king's arm when he opened his mouth to speak. He closed it just as quickly with a grimace that turned into thinly pressed lips. "For now join us as we celebrate the reunions thus far of our wayward children and their companions." Delyth put her hands in her lap as the servants began to carry in platters of food, both colorful and fragrant from fruits and steamed vegetables to succulent meats and fresh baked bread. The servers fluttered around the long table and ducked between seated individuals easily to deposit their trays and slide back out to vanish through the serving door.

Windy's mouth was watering at the amount of food before her. She sat next to Lady Morwen and the dark haired elf was offering to help her fill her plate. "I will try _everything_ then go back to what I want," the Whirlwindling replied in awe. This was going to be awesome.  
"Meat only, thank you," Cynder answered Lan's question on what to help her with. She liked socializing over food, if she could restore some of her energy through food that meant she didn't need to sleep as much. Hex didn't see it that way however and Cynder saw no reason to enlighten her about it. "You are a caretaker for the prince?" she asked Lan.  
"I asked for the responsibility when he was a newborn. I have tended to him since and seen him as well as his sisters grow. I had half a mind to join them when they became Skylanders but decided it was time to let the prince set his own path. I will not remain in his service much longer; once he is ready he may dismiss me."  
"Yet he has not done so," King Hayden said. "As much as he fights with you he is comforted by your presence."  
Lan laughed, "I find this hard to believe at times."  
"Eloryn would not dare dismiss me before she is married. She will not be able to do a thing for herself otherwise!" Aelwen said with a sniff as she set a platter of steamed carrots back down. "Spoiled rotten she is. I honestly do not see how she was able to become a Skylander." Aelwen would be pretty if she didn't always seem to be scowling or brooding.

Hex snorted as she rolled her knife over on the table cloth just to see the silver glint in the light. "Do you have something you wish to say?" Amara asked in a hard tone. She had one hand wrapped around her napkin with knuckles gone white.  
"No," the Core said simply. She had learned to respect Seraphina somewhat but still saw her as the wrong type of individual to be a Skylander. She knew better than to voice such a thing around Seraphina's family. If Aelwen was calling Eloryn spoiled when Hex already saw Seraphina as such she really wanted nothing to do with the younger princess.  
Hayden cleared his throat and glanced to Delyth, she gave the barest nod of her head. The other Skylanders present had tensed up as well and if the king said anything hard words might ignite an oral debate he did not wish to get into. "Hopefully Anicetus and Seraphina will return soon with news of Eloryn."

"Is that timing or what?" Meilyr said with a grin as the dining room doors opened and the two appeared.  
"Eloryn is a Flashwingling," Anicetus said before anyone could so much as greet them.  
"Sean has made an effort to acquire her. She should be with us in two days," Seraphina added.  
The king was on his feet in an instant and both Commander Roghallach and Carwyn who had been silent until then rose as well. "She is well? No deformities from Portal Master neglect?" the king said so fast his words nearly ran together.  
"She is whole," Anicetus said after placing a hand on his sister's arm. "She is distraught over events however."  
"Oh my poor baby," Delyth said with her hands over her mouth. "She must be so frightened without familiar faces." The queen had to try incredibly hard to ignore the rude toss of Hex's head and snort she gave. Delyth reached out for Hayden when the king leaned over the table towards the distant Hex.

"You will have to forgive me, Core," Hayden said firmly, "But the hostility I sense from you towards my kingdom, my rule and most importantly my _children_ is going to make you a very unwelcome presence in this dining hall."  
Cynder was on her feet in a moment and behind Hex. "We have overstayed our welcome," she whispered fiercely to her fellow Core.  
"You are welcome to stay, Lady Cynder," Hayden said with a raised hand. "As is Lady Hex for the moment. I am simply stating how I am taking offence at her attitude. We have invited you into our home and to our board. I would hate for things to sour between Meir Valan and the Skylanders."  
Hex's nostrils flared as she stood up and leaned on the table herself. "You are royalty, what could you possibly know of the struggle Skylanders go through?" It wasn't until the words had left her mouth did she understand what she had said. Hex's expression melted into surprise suddenly as she looked towards Seraphina and Anicetus, the two still standing in the doorway. "I am sorry; I didn't mean it to be that way. You are royalty; you have _everything_ handed to you. The rest of us had to prove our worth to join."

"Am I not worthy?" Seraphina snapped. Never had she taken such a harsh tone before and it surprised most of the room. "Did we not fight the same enemy on Fetter Foothold? Did you not accompany me while I healed the wounded? Where you not there when lives were saved, non-Skylanders who would not have the safety net of simply returning to Earth to heal? Have you been so blind to _everything_ I have done or deaf to all I have told you? Have I not bled alongside other Skylanders?"  
"You come from a life in which everything was handed to you!" Hex replied with a wave of her hand to the room. "How can you look at the world if not down on it from your lofty perch?"  
"Leave this place, Hex," Seraphina said. "I will approach Grandmaster Eon myself and inform him of the insult you have laid upon my family and kingdom."

Cynder moved her head in front of Hex and pushed her away from the table. "Light, Hex! What in the world do you think you are doing?"  
Hex pushed back against the dragon's nudging. "I never asked to follow you around like a pet. I came here because Eon asked me to, in order to understand you better. And I do, you simply wanted to flaunt what you have. You wanted to lord it over me the whole time. Congratulations, you accomplished your goal. You use your title well; just as I would expect from a spoiled and useless noble." The king stared at Hex with his jaw clenched and the queen had balled her hand into a fist over her heart and taken the front of her gown with it.  
"Leave!" Seraphina hissed as she began to tremble with rage. Anicetus held her back, his flames an angry red to indicate his own mood.  
Roghallach moved swiftly towards the Core when she raised an accusing finger and cut her off before she could speak. "You have been asked twice now to remove yourself. Please do so before I am forced to escort you out."  
Cynder pushed harder on Hex and turned apologetic eyes first to Roghallach. The elf was focused on Hex and didn't see her so she turned back to Seraphina after flashing over a distraught looking Windy. "I'm so sorry, Princess," Cynder said.  
Seraphina closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before she rubbed at her temples. She had tried so hard to get along with Hex, she really did want the Core to see her as an equal and not the superior she had. "Cynder, I apologize for making you uncomfortable. I will tell Eon how you tried to mediate the situation." She knew the other Core wasn't going to stay around much longer herself.

Hex made a disgruntled sound before her form distorted and she simply vanished. Cynder made eye contact with everyone in the room. Once she was satisfied most of them held nothing against her she called out to her Portal Master and stepped into the portal that opened in a corner of the dining hall.  
Once the light from the portal had faded an eerie silence settled on the room. "I am not hungry," Seraphina said softly there by causing the silence to break. Without any other explanation or glance to another individual she turned to leave.  
Anicetus watched her go then turned back around in time to see his father sit down heavily as Roghallach returned to stand behind his own chair with a scowl. "I am sorry," the Ignitorling said at last to Crevan and Windy. "This is not how I wanted you to remember Meir Valan."  
Windy looked down at her plate and the little pastry shaped like a rectangle with woven lines of dough crossing the top. "Then I will remember it for the wonderful sights I saw earlier today and the delicious dinner. Thank you King Hayden, Queen Delyth," she said with a small smile to her hosts. "I am sorry Hex was so rude."  
Delyth inhaled deeply and smoothed her features before she smiled warmly at the Whirlwindling. "You need not apologize for her, dear. Thank you for joining us tonight."  
Hayden had propped his elbows up on the table and continued to scowl at the seat Hex had occupied moments ago. "How in the name of the Core of Light did Seraphina become a copy of _her_?"  
"Excuse me," Meilyr said quickly as he got up and raced out the door. Amara made a motion to stand herself but decided to sit back down with a frown instead.

Seraphina heard the sound of running feet behind her and while part of her wanted to take random turns to lose whoever it was she remained on course anyway.  
"Seraphina, wait."  
The princess stopped dead in her tracks, she was not expecting Meilyr to have followed her. She kept her back to him and only looked at the Fizzling when he came up beside her. She was angry enough to have evidence of tears in her eyes and made no effort to dry the rivulets they left on her cheeks.  
Meilyr's large yellow eyes were full of sympathy as he spoke, "Forget about Hex, she has been nothing but jealous from the beginning. You still have your friends and family while she has turned her back on everyone."  
"She turned her back on them or they turned their backs on her? What if we are stuck like this, Meilyr? What if there is no way to break the curse Kaos laid on us? What if after a while my mind begins to fade and become more like her? I do not want to turn on everyone that has ever cared for me. I do not want to become the dark soul Hex has made herself into." Seraphina paused for a moment and closed her eyes. "I want to be me again, I want to close my eyes and when I open them I see that dark haired elf that was always sneaking flowers into my books when he thought I was not looking." She opened them and looked right at Meilyr.  
The gremlin gave a start; she remembered how he had flirted when they were children after all the years behind them. Meilyr didn't have a reply for her and could only watch her float on down the hall. He balled his fists up, he was going to get with Seraphina's Portal Master somehow and help him find Kaelin for her. Having her betrothed back would lighten her mood, she could forget all about the insults Hex had slung around and things would return to normal. As normal as possible at least considering all that had been turned upside down.

It took Meilyr a while to return to the dining hall. He was expecting it to have cleared out and wasn't surprised to find Windy had departed via calling on her Portal Master. Aelwen was down the hall walking slowly with her usual straight posture. Crevan stood outside the dining hall with his head down and barely acknowledged Meilyr as the other Fizzling walked by. Meilyr's mood brightened when he saw Avon had returned. But a sweep of the room revealed no sign of Rafer or Teranika and the solemn looks on the faces of those still within made the gremlin's heart sink.  
"Meilyr," Anicetus said softly. The pale blue of his flames looked so out of place on the Ignitorling. "Teranika and Rafer are gone. Their Portal Master separated them and gave them away."  
Meilyr's mouth went dry and he had to take a seat before his shaking knees gave out. They could be anywhere, maybe even in the hands of a collector that couldn't even use a portal. Morwen was sobbing softly; Amara held her cousin close as her own tears fell. Delyth was leaning against Hayden's chest, her eyes unblinking and her face expressionless. Meilyr's heart went out to her; she would have to inform her sister, Teranika's mother, of her daughter's disappearance. "Seraphina does not know," the gremlin said softly.  
"I will tell her," Lan said as he stood. He hesitated before leaving, almost as if he wished someone else would offer to come.  
"This is not how I wanted my first day home to end," Meilyr sighed.


	13. Fallout

**Fallout**

Cynder appeared on the lawn of Eon's citadel after a quick portal trip from Meir Valan to her Portal Master's side to make her request. Cynder was lucky to have found a Portal Master that understood the plight of the Skylanders. She missed Eon's tutelage but it wasn't like she didn't get to see him.  
"Hey, Cynder!" a familiar voice called. "What's wrong, you look worried."  
"Oh light, Spyro," the female dragon sighed. "Do you remember the princess Master Eon assigned Hex to?"  
"The one from Meir Valan, yeah. I remember. Who could forget that awkward night?" the purple dragon grinned. His mirth faded away when Cynder furrowed her brow. "Why, what happened?"  
"Oh Hex insulted her in front of her father the king. Raised hostility in the palace and called the princess a spoiled brat. Where is Eon? He has to know."  
Spyro's eyes were wide enough to fall out of his skull. "She did _what_? If the Tour region decides to no longer back the Skylanders we will be without a large chunk of our defensive line when Kaos inevitably rolls out another attack wave!" All of the large kingdoms in that area were aligned; to insult one would be a blow to them all. The elven armies made up the largest opposition force against Kaos. They couldn't afford to lose their allies from Tour.  
"I know," Cynder muttered as she began to more or less run towards Eon's citadel.  
Spyro shook his head as he thought about it then raced off to catch his oldest friend. It could still be fixed, Hex was only one individual. They could send an embassy or a peace offering. Maybe even have some form of public show of goodwill to the King of Meir Valan. Light, when did being a Skylander involve politics?

The night had worn on for a decent amount of time before Lan had finally left Seraphina's sitting room. The princess remained in the plush chair she had been seated in the whole time. Lan had broken the news to her as gently as possible about Rafer and Teranika but with everything else that had transpired it still hit her hard. Seraphina finally rose to her feet and drifted out of her public sitting room and down the hall to her bedchamber. Moonlight shone through the small windows that lined the hall and stretched into both rooms behind her sitting room. Seraphina gave a quick glance to the stained glass windows and their golden sunburst framing a purple orchid, Seraphina's personal seal. As she glided into her room the Hexling began to disrobe. Her eyes strayed to a painting that hung near her wardrobe. Kaelin's mother had commissioned it, it showed the two of them sitting together and smiling. Proud eirian elves, happy eirian elves were depicted in the painting. Seraphina sat with her shoulder against Kaelin's chest and her hands folded in her lap. One of Kaelin's hands held both of hers and his second was wrapped behind her to rest on her waist. The smiles the artist had given them were wide and genuine. Seraphina remembered how happy she had been when that painting was done.

_"Please stop squirming!" Elanniah Alistair, the raven haired and fair skinned mother to Kaelin Alistair fretted. "The artist needs you to be perfectly still!"_  
_"But Kaelin keeps tickling me!" Seraphina protested. She giggled again and tried to elbow the hand he had on her waist._  
_"Kaelin I do not care if you are the King of Haven; if you do not quit antagonizing her I will pull you by the ear!" his mother threatened. The threat lost power when she grinned at the two. "The painting is beautiful so far. Just hold still a little longer!"_  
_"How long do you expect me to sit here with such a beautiful woman at my side?" Kaelin asked when Seraphina turned her eyes up to him with a smile._  
_"Long enough for me to finish details on clothing," the artist said. "It is alright Prior Elanniah," he assured the former queen, "Their moving will not disrupt any details on their facial expressions. I am done with that."_  
_"Light, they have the most beautiful smiles," Elanniah sighed as she studied the painting. It seemed like she was looking through a window rather than at a canvas._  
_"I will have them sit for another perhaps tomorrow to fill the two painting quota you paid for," the fair haired artist said as he cleaned a brush. "Despite your son's playful nature they sit very well together. Perfect posture."_  
_"Yes well if he does not learn to sit still I will make him pose for classes given to aspiring artists so he can see what his wiggling does for an untrained hand!"_  
_Kaelin rolled his eyes and gave his mother a smile, "And when would I have time for this alongside ruling the kingdom and my duties as a Skylander?"_  
_His mother pressed her lips and shook her head, "I will find a way my son. Trust me." Kaelin laughed, he knew she would._

Seraphina's hand hovered over the painting where Kaelin held her hands. For just a moment she swore she could feel his gentle touch and the way his hand would drift up her arm to caress her cheek and play with her hair. The princess got a chill at the clarity of her imagination then sighed and let her arm drop to her side before she finished undressing and went for her bedclothes. As things usually went she found herself looking at herself in the mirror. From head to toe her reflection let her study how much she had changed. This was Hex's body, not Seraphina's. The Core must have hated the thought of so many others seeing her naked in effect when they became clones of her. Seraphina pushed thoughts of the Core out of her mind, her mood was sour enough as it was and she certainly didn't need to dwell on anything. She made herself pass on the thought of Teranika and Rafer as well. It seemed she couldn't find anything to occupy herself with that didn't accent her current mood.

In a disheartened manner Seraphina dressed for bed before she turned down the sheets and slid between them. It felt good to be back in her bed, the familiar feel of the sheets on her skin and even the way the mattress conformed to her. She was home and surrounded by familiar faces and sounds, that should be all that mattered. Seraphina tucked the covers under her chin and closed her eyes, sleep would either come or not. It didn't matter, she would try anyway.

Eon's library was a room walled by bookcases that stretched two stories high. Ladders on rollers were present at specific intervals and there was no lack of desks and chairs to sit at for reading, studying or scribing information. At the moment the library was silent and empty save for three figures on the second floor sequestered behind a few shelves to dampen their voices as they spoke.  
"I will travel to Meir Valan at dawn," Grandmaster Eon said to Cynder. His disembodied head looked sad as he floated above the heads of both dragons. "I had hoped to find a more appealing outcome with this assignment but it seems I have erred. I am sorry you were at the center of it."  
Cynder bowed her head, "No Master Eon, I am sorry I could not change the outcome." She flinched slightly when Spyro nuzzled her shoulder with his nose.  
"You helped keep Hex's temper in check, young dragon. You did all that you could and I thank you. Will you accompany me back to Meir Valan as a sign of goodwill?"  
"Of course," Cynder said when she finally looked up to Eon.  
Spyro stepped forward and held himself up tall, "Master Eon, as leader of the Skylanders I request permission to join you as well. I take full responsibility for Hex's actions."  
Eon gave him a kind smile, "I do not think you need to take responsibility for Hex. She is her own person and fully understood the possible repercussions. But I accept your request to accompany Cynder and myself. You have a certain charm to you that will put the king at ease."  
"Thank you," Spyro nodded deeply.  
Eon sighed and floated a little higher up, "If you will excuse me I must retire for the night. I need to reflect upon what I have learned and decide how to make up for this misunderstanding." A moment later and the Grandmaster was simply gone.

Cynder turned without a word and began to pad slowly towards the door with her brow furrowed in thought.  
"Would you like some company?" Spyro offered.  
"Yes, actually," Cynder admitted reluctantly. "Let me tell you a little about the city and the people so you better understand them when we arrive."  
"I'm not worried about offending anyone," Spyro said with a quick flick of his wings. "I am there to apologize and assure the king that Hex does not represent all Skylanders."  
Cynder gave him the ghost of a smile. "I trust you to handle things with that finesse only you can manage, Spyro."  
The purple dragon laughed, "Was that a vote of confidence or sarcasm?"  
"That remains to be seen," Cynder replied with a sparkle in her eye.

Anicetus had slept with the curtains open in his room. It had been a challenge for the Ignitorling to find a decent way to work sleep in without burning down the palace, after all he was nothing more than a fire spirit. The morning light streamed into the prince's room and he unfolded himself from the blacksmith bench he had ordered brought to his room. It wasn't the most comfortable surface in the world but as Anicetus didn't have muscles to go numb it was no different from sleeping in a bed by comparison. Slowly, almost mechanically the Ignitorling reentered his suit of armor and moved towards his private balcony to open the door and step outside. The morning air was brisk and cool, not that he could tell beyond the way the wind made his flames dance.  
The prince looked down on Meir Valan and watched the early risers go about their morning rituals and errands before a knock sounded ever so softly behind him. Anicetus turned; his bedchamber door was open so the knock had to drift through his sitting room before it reached him. The prince closed first the door to his private balcony before he made his way through the hall that connected his bedchamber with his sitting room and personal study. The hall itself was lined with small stained glass windows depicting a white stag with sapphire eyes, the prince's personal seal. Anicetus opened the door beyond his sitting room to find Meilyr standing on the other side.

"Good morning," the Fizzling said in a way that sounded more like a question than statement.  
Anicetus's flames turned pale yellow in amusement, "Never expected to see you up so early, Meilyr."  
"Yeah well, things change," he said with a wave. "Grandmaster Eon is here."  
Anicetus's flames turned stark white for a moment before the normal orange color began to creep back in. "Do you know what it is about?"  
"What else could it be?" Meilyr grumbled. "Cynder is with him as is Spyro. Hex is nowhere to be found."  
The Ignitorling waited for Meilyr to move away from the doorway before he stepped out into the hall. "Is Seraphina with them?"  
Meilyr shook his head, "For once she is still in bed. I would wake her but I do not think she would like to hear the news from me. Amara was sent after her." Meilyr scratched the back of his neck, at the moment he was without his armor. "You know there is something rather liberating about not having to worry about what clothing I am going to wear before I meet with someone. I rather like the fact I am an eternal streaker," Meilyr grinned.  
"Remember that time we had too much to drink and went streaking through the woods on one of our camping trips?" Anicetus asked.  
"I still have no idea how my trousers ended up in the tree," Meilyr said with a thoughtful expression.

Amara had knocked and received no answer so she timidly opened the door to Seraphina's sitting room before softly calling out to the princess. There was no answer so the wine haired lady in waiting slowly made her way around end tables and sitting chairs to the hall and the bedroom beyond.  
"Seraphina?" she called again as she came to the open door of her bedchamber. Amara peeked in the room and found the princess's bed was made and everything was in order. So she was awake, where else could she be? Amara turned back around and on a whim headed towards the princess's private study. She noticed almost instantly that things were out of place; Seraphina always returned objects where they belonged when not in use but currently Amara saw books open on her desk next to her journal and quill still sitting in the jar of ink. The curtains to the more public of Seraphina's two balconies had been flung open and Amara could see the princess herself sitting on a bench with her nose buried in a book. She was dressed as a priestess again, Seraphina preferred that style of dress over princess attire unless she was attending a royal event. Amara made a face; Hex had never noticed that aspect apparently. If only the Core had been privy to the rumors surrounding Seraphina about her wishing to abandon her nobility for a simpler life.

Seraphina was aware of the fact Amara stood in her study watching her through the window. She chose to keep up the act of being oblivious and continued to read over passages in the book she held. It was an old journal of hers, one she had kept during the early years of her time in the temple learning the ropes of being a Priestess of the Light. It spoke of hardships; how the other novices reacted to learning she was the princess and what she went through. It had been difficult on her in the beginning, most of the other novices wanted nothing to do with her thinking if she failed then the king would blame them. Seraphina sighed when she reached the passage speaking of her first friend in the priesthood, Galvin Killian. He was timid and afraid that he wouldn't be able to climb the ranks. So the determined princess and the shy commoner became the best of friends and helped each other get through their schooling. Even once they had both reached the highest rank and been released to practice their craft at will Galvin had continued to call the princess friend and had been integrated into her clique. Seraphina had to close the journal at that point. It made her think of how she hadn't spoken to Galvin in years and how he was currently with Kaelin waiting for their Portal Master to send them back to Skylands. Without a distraction to help her ignore Amara the princess was forced to face her. She rose from the bench and tucked the worn book under an arm before she opened the balcony door and stepped in once Amara had moved.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Amara asked slowly. She herself was still heavy hearted over the loss of Teranika and Rafer.  
"About the same," Seraphina answered. "Though I am no longer angry. Just sad."  
Amara scuffed her feet as she wondered how to break the news. "Cynder has returned. Spyro is with her and so is Grandmaster Eon."  
Seraphina nodded stiffly, "I had expected to speak to him at some point today. I did not expect him to seek me out."  
"They are going to join us for breakfast. Well, not us. You, Anicetus and your parents I mean. The rest of us will have our breakfast in the other dining hall where we will await news."

Seraphina set her old journal down then began to tidy up her desk and return books to where they belonged. Only her current journal was left out and opened to the page she had been writing on to allow the ink to dry. Seraphina recapped her inkpot and tapped the corner of her desk with a black fingernail. Hex's fingers were either a little longer or shorter than hers and Seraphina could see the difference in her penmanship since her hands weren't her own currently. The Hexling could tell Amara was waiting on her and knew it would do no good to prolong the inevitable. Seraphina would have preferred to approach Eon on her own but it seemed the Grandmaster was extending an apology in an effort to smooth over any potential issues that may arise in the region.  
"What are the moods of our visitors?" Seraphina asked as she turned to Amara.  
"Eon is very pleasant, Cynder is still apologizing for Hex and Spyro is taking the blame as he is the leader of the Skylanders."  
Seraphina shook her head, "I do not blame any of them for Hex's actions. I know my father does not either but Hex will find no welcome in Meir Valan for quite some time." Seraphina drifted past Amara and into her sitting room before she picked up her staff and smiled at it fondly. The day she got that particular staff was also the day she had met Kaelin. It was sort of a good luck talisman for her as much as it was a symbol of her status as a high priestess.  
"Please, I know you were probably wishing for more time before you visited Eon but since he has already arrived you should not keep him waiting."  
The princess chuckled, "No, I would give him the wrong idea if I did. My quarrel is neither with him nor the two accompanying him after all." Seraphina tilted her staff towards the sitting room door as a prompt for Amara to lead the way.

"I thank you for your prompt response," King Hayden said to Grandmaster Eon with a nod. It was unnerving speaking to a floating, disembodied head but the king knew the reason behind Eon's unfortunate situation and could respect him for still trying to carry out his duties and responsibilities to both the Skylanders and their new Portal Masters. "I was not expecting you to make an appearance however. Seraphina had planned no doubt to visit you after Cynder returned with her news."  
"It is no trouble at all," Eon replied with a nod. "The transgression was on my part and thus my responsibility to make the effort to smooth things over."  
"Hex can be intimidating, she's normally not that biased," Cynder said. "I think maybe it was jealousy. She has been undead longer than myself and spent much of her time prior to joining the Skylanders in hiding."  
"I would have hoped her manners on the subject would have been more intact," the queen said. "Once she began she showed no desire to stop and continually insisted that all Seraphina had done was irrelevant as she accomplished it by throwing her title around to bend the will of others. I found Hex's blind hatred offensive."

"Again, I am sorry," Cynder said with a bowed head. She cast a look to Spyro then tilted her head towards the royal couple. For someone intent on making up for Hex's behavior he sure was quiet.  
Just as Spyro had inhaled and opened his mouth to speak the sound of the dining room door opening drew attention to the far side of the room as Anicetus the Ignitorling strode into the room followed by Seraphina the Hexling with her features smooth and indifferent. She looked a lot like Hex at that moment, if not for the way she kept her hair long and her style of clothing Spyro would have thought it _was_ Hex. Ironic really, Spyro always thought Hex held herself like a noble and now he saw just how accurate his thought was. The princess didn't look quite like a princess though. When Cynder had led him and Eon through the city Spyro had seen others dressed as Seraphina was and knew them as priests. Why would the princess choose to present herself as something less than she was?

"Good morning, Princess, Prince," Eon said with the bow of his head. "Forgive me for my early arrival. I felt that this was not something I should take lightly." Eon made no mention of Seraphina's style of clothing nor did his gaze even linger over the surprising presentation.  
"Good morning, Grandmaster Eon," Seraphina said with a bow of respect. Her features weren't so hard anymore and her face seemed more relaxed. Perhaps Spyro was simply imagining her looking so much like Hex. An honest mistake since she unfortunately was wearing the other's face. She held herself differently though. While her back was straight it wasn't rigid like Hex's would be. Seraphina's shoulders were relaxed whereas Hex would roll hers back to appear more threatening. Even though she held a staff it was loosely with no tension in her hand. No, she was nothing like Hex now that Spyro thought about it. Anicetus said a quick good morning himself as he led his sister in to stand near the others.

"Please, have a seat," Hayden said with the sweep of his hand towards the smaller, cozier dining table normally reserved for more intimate meals such as the current one. "I apologize ahead of time for the meal. We did not have much time to prepare for guests."  
Hayden seated his wife as Anicetus did the same for his sister once her staff was propped against the wall. Cynder gave Spyro an amused look and unspoken prompt to do the same for her. The purple dragon stared at her blankly for a moment before realization dawned on his face and he pulled back one of the stools obviously meant for the two of them. The purple dragon waited for Cynder to climb atop it before he took his own. Eon had been granted a seat of his own and even though he was nothing more than a head he floated comfortably above it at about the same height as the king. "I am sure Spyro and Cynder will find your preparations meet their expectations," Eon said with a smile. In his present state he would be unable to eat, he would not be alone for Anicetus did not need to eat to sustain himself either.

"It is an honor to be visited by one with as much prestige as you, Grandmaster," Hayden said once his guests were all seated. "I am sorry it has to be on such a sour note that we should meet."  
Eon inclined his head thoughtfully for a moment. "I suppose it is my fault for not better guiding Hex when she was still under my command. I never imagined something such as this would happen however."  
"None of us did," Seraphina said softly. She looked at the hands she had placed on the table to either side of her plate. "How do you prepare for something like this?"  
Eon gave her a sympathetic look which he turned on the other three present Skylanders as well. "You all have been through so much and I am sorry to say that there will be more in the future." His expression brightened considerably when palace servants began to bring in platters. The elves liked to have a light breakfast so there was plenty of fruit, fresh pastries, cheese and honeyed milk set on the table. The dragons had not been forgotten however as a large steaming roast and tender bird were set before them. The palace servants bowed to the king and queen as they filed out of the room as quickly as they had arrived.  
"Let us break bread as we discuss what has brought us together," Hayden stated as he went for the lone loaf on the table.  
Spyro saw Eon nod his head as a prompt before the dragon reared up on his hind legs and extended a claw towards the same loaf Hayden's hand rested on. He and Cynder would have no qualms with eating the part his claws had touched and therefore Spyro made sure to only take the heel of the loaf off. He had heard of breaking bread in a symbolic way but never had he expected to do it literally. The king was honestly giving Eon a chance to make amends and was showing his willingness to do so with tradition.

The formal dining hall felt empty with the occupants all crammed at one end of one table. Meilyr had met up with Crevan, Amara, Morwen and surprisingly Lan and Aelwen for breakfast. They had the usual elven breakfast spread of fruits, pastries, cheese and milk. Meat was a rarity and seen as too heavy an item to eat at breakfast.  
"You think the king is going to give Eon a piece of his mind?" Meilyr asked with a mouthful of pastry.  
"Mind your manners," Aelwen snapped. She was beginning to wonder why she had bothered to join them rather than simply eat in the kitchen.  
"Oh lighten up, Miss Stick in the Mud," Meilyr said with a roll of his eyes.  
"Meilyr," Lan warned while reaching for an apple.  
"I believe King Hayden will discuss politely the altercation with Grandmaster Eon," Crevan replied.  
Lan nodded his agreement to the second Fizzling's statement. "The king was enraged by Hex's actions but he will not blame the Grandmaster for it. He may feel that Eon should have sensed Hex's disdain for the situation the night he assigned her to Seraphina but I doubt he will say anything to Eon about it."  
"Well he should," Aelwen said with a sniff of disapproval. She was nibbling so slowly on the pastry she had it was a wonder it could even be considered eating.  
"Believe me," Amara said before Meilyr could open his mouth, "As someone there that night to witness the beginning of their rocky alliance I want to agree with you, Aelwen. But at the same time I can understand Grandmaster Eon's point of view. He was hoping to change Hex's thinking. I think she only found reason to enforce it."  
"Seraphina let her speak her mind too long," Aelwen shook her head. "She should have stopped it sooner."

"Enough about that rude caster," Morwen snapped. "Does anyone care that we lost Teranika and Rafer?" Her eyes were still puffy and red-rimmed; she had probably spent most of the night crying over the news. "Does anyone care I lost my sister?" her voice cracked as her face contorted and she fought the tears that wanted to fall. Amara reached out to embrace her and Morwen shrugged the act off leaving Amara baffled.  
"I am sorry," Aelwen was the first to speak up. In actuality her hopes had been to focus on Hex so Morwen wouldn't dwell on her sister. It had failed and now the lady in waiting felt embarrassed for even thinking it would work. From that point on the meal was continued in silence, only soft requests for something to be passed followed by a polite thank you and resumed silence.

"I will accept your offer," King Hayden was saying to Grandmaster Eon. He liked the thought of different Cores rotating in with the group his daughter had gathered. It would certainly help them look past any misinformation they had picked up from other sources. Granting Seraphina access to the resources that the Cores alone used was a surprising bonus and Hayden promised that his daughter would not abuse the privilege.  
Breakfast had been all but finished, the two dragons were happily full and left not a scrap of meat on either platter and the fruits had been more or less finished by the elves. "However I must disagree with bringing Hex back to Meir Valan. It should be of her own accord that she returns for an apology. To force her will only make her that much more bitter. I will not hold my breath for her return any time soon."  
Eon made a face that said he wasn't quite sure if letting Hex get out of another visit was the best idea. "Very well," he said at last. "I will raise the issue with Hex but will not order her to complete it. She will eventually but I cannot say how long it will be before she decides to bury the hatchet, so to speak."

"I am sorry I failed to help Hex see the other side of the story," Seraphina said at last. "It was a bad idea to bring her to Meir Valan."  
"Nonsense, dear," Delyth said with a smile. "This is your home and you do not get to visit it often. To have stayed away because you feared Hex's response would not have been trying to change her outlook. You did what you had to in order to not alienate yourself from your family. It is unfortunate that it did not have the desired effect but I got to see my daughter in the end. That is all I could have asked for."  
"Thank you, Mother," Seraphina said with a nod.  
"I agree with the queen," Eon nodded. "Playing to Hex's favor was not what I asked of you. You did what I had intended. It was my own fault for not seeing how stubborn she was on the issue. I apologize for forcing that on you."  
"I blame no one for what happened," Seraphina replied as she turned her head to take in Spyro and Cynder as well.

"I've enjoyed my time in Meir Valan," Cynder spoke up when it seemed the subject of Hex had been closed. "The city is beautiful and the people are friendly. I came with reservations that now I see weren't needed. I hope Meir Valan's gates are still open to the rest of the Skylanders?" she asked.  
"Of course," Hayden replied with a broad grin. "The Skylanders are always welcome here. We cannot let the actions of one reflect upon the rest." Hayden looked back to Eon before he continued, "And Meir Valan's army will continue to stand behind the front lines of Skylanders."  
"Excellent," Eon said brightly, "I had hoped our mutual arrangement would continue."

Anicetus cleared his throat; the prince had been unusually silent for most of the conversation. "I would like to personally show our guests around following breakfast if they are interested?" he prompted Eon and the Cores.  
"Yeah, I'm up for it," Spyro nodded. He was book smart about Meir Valan but hadn't explored it yet. As the prince had offered Spyro knew it would be rude to decline.  
"I would enjoy the same," Cynder nodded.  
"Respectfully I must bow out," Eon said with the nod of his head. "There are other issues that require my attention. I continue to see the arrival of new Portal Masters and reintroduction of Skylanders back into our world. My doors are always open to visitors from Meir Valan," the Grandmaster said with a smile. He gave a nod of respect to the royalty present before he faded from view.

"Mother, Father," Anicetus nodded to them as he rose. "If you are ready we may begin now before Meilyr joins us. Though he may have interesting insight into the places we will visit."  
"Light, Ani," his father mumbled, "Leave the lad out of this for now. Let our guests see the city before they are introduced to Meilyr."  
"That was my plan," the Ignitorling chuckled as he moved away from the table. He bowed respectfully to his parents and sister before he excused himself.  
"Thank you King Hayden, Queen Delyth," Spyro said with a bow. "Breakfast was delicious."  
"Yes, thank you for allowing us to join you," Cynder bowed as well. With Anicetus already out of the room the two dragons shuffled out quickly.

"Are you alright, dear?" Delyth asked Seraphina.  
"I am distraught," she admitted. "Hex is over with and I find a tremendous amount of relief in it. Teranika and Rafer are what occupy my mind. I _met_ Sam the night of Eon's banquet. He seemed responsible enough and competent. He said a few things that upset me, mainly his ignorance of what it was to be royalty. But he understood Skylanders and showed interest in keeping us together and in contact with one another. I do not understand what has happened. Why would he abandon the Skylanders that so depend upon him?"  
Hayden sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "He was young, right? Not yet an adult? There is your answer. The young want freedom but not responsibility. They cannot fathom how to handle all that life throws at them when they begin to step out from under the protecting wings of their parents. He saw his responsibilities to his Skylanders as something he could pass on in favor of focusing on another matter."

Seraphina gave a shuddering sigh, she was hoping for something more substantial than the default young and overwhelmed explanation. "We had no choice but to deal with what happened to us after Kaos banished us. I wish I had the option of making it someone else's problem," she growled.  
Delyth moved out of her chair and slid into the empty one next to Seraphina. As she put her arms around her daughter she spoke softly, "When the curse is broken and you finally are free to join with Kaelin you may understand more of the demands placed upon you with your ascension to the throne. You are a capable woman; I have no doubt about that. But as you stretch your wings you will find that we could not prepare you for everything. Do not let frustration sour your outlook. Treat being a queen the way you did as you climbed the ranks in the priesthood. You have no idea just how much extra preparation that situation has given you. As much as Sam's actions hurt they were growing pains. I hope those that affect you will not lead to such drastic changes."  
The princess placed her head on her mother's shoulder, leave it to parents to turn another problem into a warning about how she too may find herself in a similar situation of outstanding demand and overwhelming responsibilities. "I suppose the search starts over again."  
"That is the spirit," her father smiled. "No matter what never give in to despair. You can overcome it."  
Seraphina rolled her eyes, "I guess you helped get my mind off Sam but this is not the path I would prefer the conversation go down. I want to meet with the others. I suppose at some point we should expect Windy to return. I hope to be in better spirits by then." She waited for her mother to allow her to rise before the princess reclaimed her staff and excused herself.

"Foolish boy," Hayden growled once his daughter had left. He shook his head and cradled his forehead in the palm of one hand. "Sam is toying with lives. The situation with the Portal Masters is unfair, so many of them are far too young to fully grasp the understanding of what they have gotten themselves into."  
"Seraphina is in good hands," Delyth said as she rose to her feet and kept her gaze on the door their daughter had departed through. "I am pleased with her being in his care. In the end the strongest Portal Masters will prevail. I do not know how much time it will take until that point is reached but our daughter is safe. Both of our daughters are."  
"Eloryn," Hayden sighed. He could hardly stand the wait until he got to embrace his youngest daughter again. "Well," the king said with a grunt as he stood. "I suppose the rest of the day waits. Time will not do a thing if we keep ourselves tucked away in this room all day."

"Well look who finally decided to show up."  
"Shut up," Hex snapped at Terrafin. She glided right past him without so much as a glance on her way to Eon's citadel.  
The dirt shark folded his arms over his chest and gave her a level stare. "It's no secret what happened last night," he said bluntly. "You've got us all worried about the loss of an ally for your bone-headed tantrum." Hex continued to float down the path and gave no indication as to if she had heard his comment.

"Leave her be," another Core said.  
"You think she would let us be if we did something to reflect poorly on her, Wham?" Terrafin asked as he turned to face the red and gold crustacean.  
Wham-Shell snorted and shook his head, for once he was without his trademark mace. "No, I don't think she would. But does that give you the right to aggravate her?"  
"She never did like you, you know. For the same reason she didn't get along with that broad Eon assigned her to."  
"Terrafin!" Wham-Shell snapped at him in incredulity, "you do not refer to a lady as 'that broad'. The princess has a name and I am sure she would appreciate your use of it."  
Terrafin gave him a toothy grin, "So what's her name?"  
The other Core stared at him blankly, "Her name escapes me at the moment. But that is beside the point; if you lack her name refer to her as Princess."  
The dirt shark smirked and waved him off with a massive hand. "Either way Hex's got the look of someone walking to their own funeral."  
"She always has that look, I believe," Wham-Shell said flatly. "Don't wait for her," the other Skylander warned as he began to walk off. "She will be in a foul mood after speaking to Eon no doubt. Don't give her an excuse to put you in the infirmary."

Terrafin thumbed his snout and squinted back in the direction Hex had gone. He had no intentions of picking a fight, he was just curious about what Eon would say. "Man, I'd give anything to be a fly on the wall right about now," he mumbled to himself. Reluctantly Terrafin turned to move off in the direction opposite of Wham-Shell. He had other things to do; he'd hear from the rumor mill soon enough how things went with Hex.

Hex single mindedly drifted through the halls of Eon's citadel. She passed other Cores who stopped in mid conversation to watch her pass. Once she had put them behind her they would start speaking again, always in whispers so Hex knew it was about her. Light, did _everyone_ know? If Cynder told Spyro then of course everyone knew. He probably told Gill Grunt or Trigger Happy and then it took off from there. Out of morbid curiosity Hex wondered how the story had grown from embellishments as it was retold. Maybe one day she could laugh the whole thing off, right now it only angered her to think of how monstrous the retold and retooled tale might have made her.

The Core glided towards the chart room, why she decided to start her search there for Eon was a mystery to her. It was also the room least likely to hold anyone that might corner her for details of what happened or scold her for acting like a brash and foolish hot head. Hex snorted at the thought when she saw Hot Head himself turn a corner mumbling something about a barbeque and burnt steaks. Even though Hex floated above the floor she could still feel the vibrations from the giant's footfalls. Eon's citadel was simply packed with Cores; they always seemed to gravitate towards it every chance they got. Hex could understand as it held memories and camaraderie even if at the moment she wanted nothing to do with the other occupants.  
One more turn, opposite of where Hot Head had gone, put Hex at the chart room door. She opened it without a knock and glided in. The room was lined with tables and rolling, double-sided boards decorated with maps of Skylands, star charts and diagrams showing the phases of the moon and the way they affected certain islands in the realm. And lo, there in the middle drifting before a chart yellowed with age depicting long-lost islands believed to have fallen from the sky was Eon himself.

"Ever the intuitive one," Eon chuckled without turning around. "Good morning, Hex," he said at last.  
Hex sighed deeply and bowed her head before letting her shoulders slouch once the door was shut. Only Eon would see her in such a state, no one else had earned the level of respect he had. "I am sorry," the Core said.  
"For what?" Eon inquired as he turned at last. He wanted to hear it from Hex and she knew it.  
"For making an ass out of myself," the Core grumbled. "For adding insult to injury and starting a political firestorm."  
"The king of Meir Valan is known for his temper but also his wisdom and understanding. I suspect his daughter Seraphina had something to do with his granting of amnesty. The Skylanders are still a welcome presence in Meir Valan."  
Hex should have taken heart in the news but instead she slumped further. "Why royalty, Eon? You know how I feel about them."  
"And you know as well as I do that royal blood does not always equate a tyrant that uses fear to rule with an iron fist. You let Malefor's self-proclaimed title of King of the Undead sour your outlook. If you wish to use that logic why do you not hold a sense of loathing for dragons as well? Malefor was a dragon and a rare _purple_ dragon at that."

"Please, Master Eon," Hex said softly. She did not want to hear that name brought up. Yes, Malefor was the reason she so despised royalty. Malefor was the reason she spent as many years as she did in hiding and on the lamb. Then when she finally confronted him Malefor had laughed at her for walking right into his clutches and forfeiting her life. Hex despised the malicious purple dragon and his black soul more than anything. "I cannot hate dragons, not when Malefor showed no respect for his own kind and used them as any other tool."  
"You and Cynder know better than any of us how twisted Malefor's views are of things. How can you let him be the template you base your opinion of all royalty off? I should think your logic on dragons would be applied to royalty as well."  
Hex looked up to Eon with a determined set to her jaw, "For royalty, no. There are too many similarities between Malefor and any other king or queen. The way Malefor held total domino over his underlings and set them upon me. How they never questioned a thing and simply followed orders. To see the palace servants flitting about without complaint in Meir Valan reminded me too much of the Underworld."

"And did these palace servants ever do or say anything to make them seem hostile or lead you to believe they were forced into servitude?" Eon asked with a raised brow.  
"No," Hex said simply while still maintaining eye contact with him.  
"How about the royal family themselves, was there ever a threat to your safety?"  
"No," Hex said while deflating slightly.  
"I understand it was Seraphina herself that asked you to leave, not the king or queen but the princess. Did she promise you harm if you continued to defy her?"  
Hex's shoulders rolled forward in defeat. "No, she did not. She asked me to leave twice. That is all she did. Her brother, the Ignitorling had fire as red as blood and the king wore a dark look while the queen was shocked. But no one threatened nor attacked me. They let Seraphina handle it; I had attacked her and them by association only. No one even spoke up to try and persuade her to take a harder stance."

"Did they offer to escort you out?" Eon prompted for more.  
"The commander of their army, Roghallach, would have if I failed to take my leave when I did. They gave me the option to leave with my dignity intact or be seen led out and abandoned," Hex answered. "Even after I was repeatedly rude to them they still let me keep my pride."  
"What have you learned?" Eon asked as he drifted around to Hex's left.  
The sorceress turned to face the Grandmaster again, "That I am a fool that holds grudges against those undeserving of it."  
"You are not a fool, Hex," Eon said softly. "You are merely misguided and steadfast in your beliefs. You will need to issue a formal apology to the royal family."  
"I…know," Hex sighed. She rubbed at her eyes with one hand. "It must be soon as well but I cannot stand to face them just yet out of shame."  
"Before the sun sets today, Hex," Eon said. "You have already let the sun set once with the argument being unresolved. Do not let another day go. I will not remind you again; I trust you to handle the matter on your own from this point."  
Hex bowed deeply to Eon, "Yes, Master. I understand."  
Eon gave a firm nod, "You are dismissed, Hex. If anyone should trouble you in any manner please tell them to come see me. If they refuse then simply walk away. I will handle them in time."

Hex made it through the halls without so much as running into anyone else. Oh she heard their voices and took different halls to avoid them, but never ran into them. She knew someone would be hunting for her and begging to know how it had turned out. Her luck ran out the moment she drifted outside into one of the practice yards in the early morning light.  
"So Hex, what did you cost us?"  
"Leave it alone, Flashwing," the sorceress scowled. She continued to float by without so much as looking at the other Core.  
The white and purple be-gemmed dragon stretched almost like a cat before she trotted up alongside Hex. "As one of Eon's most favored Skylanders I expected better of you."  
"I am no longer under Eon's command," Hex said flatly. "None of us are, or have you forgotten what Kaos's curse did to us?"  
"Oh no, I remember well enough," Flashwing nodded. She slowed her pace as Hex did the same. "But don't forget all those copies out there. They paid the same price and then some." Flashwing narrowed her eyes, it was because Hex picked the wrong copy to insult that the Cores were so worried anyway.  
"Go away," Hex grumbled as she finally stopped and gave the dragon a hard stare. "Just go away."  
Flashwing shrugged, "Alright, alright. I'll leave you to brood. That's all you do anymore anyway." She cast her fellow Core one last scrutinizing look before she turned to trot off in the direction of two practicing Cores.

Blue skinned, brown haired and bearded storm giant Lightning Rod growled as he cast again, his bolts were fired true but Flameslinger wouldn't hold still long enough for them to be any good. The area was crisscrossed by paths of fire, courtesy of Flameslinger's enchanted boots.  
"Oh, missed me again!" the green skinned and blindfolded elf chided. "Have you no luck with the _aiming_?" he laughed before dashing off again with his blue bobbed ponytail bouncing on the back of his head.  
"Confounded elf!" the storm giant snapped as he changed tactics to his target practice and used grand lightning instead of the smaller bolts.  
"Too slow!" Flameslinger sang as he simply stepped to the side. The shockwave sent a tremor through him however, that had been a close call. He danced out of the way of a barrage of the smaller and quicker bolts. "See you later!" the elf yelled as he raced off to the far side of the field and surprised Rod by firing a volley at him.  
The storm giant struck the majority of the flaming arrows down midway through their flight and floated out of the way of the final two. "You said this was to get practice in on your dodging skills!" he boomed.  
"Oh it is practice for me; you need incentive to give me real challenge!" Flameslinger said as he ran circles around the other Core.

"For the love of," Rod groaned as he ran his hand over his face. When he peered through his fingers again he saw a curious sight. The blue and green water dragon Zap had crept in ever so slowly to the area and when he noticed the storm giant had seen him he held a bulbous finger-like digit up to his lips to hush the other Skylander. Rod grinned and nodded his understanding. "Alright, I need to try harder. I can manage," he said loudly as he rolled his shoulders and popped his neck. With the strikes of his lighting making so much noise Zap was able to zip about the area quickly and leave a trail of sea slime behind that not only quenched the fires but messed with Flameslinger's traction. The elf hardly noticed though and didn't even bother to slow. At last Zap had created a web of sorts on the training field and when he galloped out of the area Lightning Rod hit one patch of slime with the largest lightning bolt he could summon. The whole of the web was electrified just as Flameslinger stepped into it.

The elf cried out in pain and alarm as the electricity surged through his body and turned his muscles to jelly. He fell over with a great WHOMP and lay sprawled on his back as the current began to die down with much smaller arcs and fewer of them. "I give, I give!" he croaked. Flameslinger was panting hard as Lightning Rod and Zap laughed in their shared prank. "Cheaters," Flameslinger said at last with a thumb under his blindfold that allowed him to peek out at them. "If not for the _frog_ I would be dancing circles around you!"  
"I am not a frog!" Zap shot back at him. "I'm a _reptile_ and not an _amphibian_!" Zap was ready to continue chewing out Flameslinger but stopped when he noticed Flashwing sitting on the edge of the field. "Hey Pyro Boy, Flashwing's back."  
The elf groaned as he tried to roll over and get to his feet. "You come here. My legs are limp like the noodles," The elf grunted as he let himself fall back against the ground.

"Hex wouldn't budge on anything," Flashwing said once the group had converged on Flameslinger. She sat down and held her head high and kept her wings open to catch the light from the sun and dazzle anyone looking at her just right. She was proud of her heritage and liked to show it off to the point of being somewhat vain in the eyes of others.  
"Your pushing, it was not enough. You are bad at this I am thinking," the elf said. He was still on his back and showed no signs of trying to get back up.  
"There was no fight in her," Flashwing shrugged. "She walked off without threatening me."  
Lightning Rod nodded to himself before he spoke up, "Then she understands she did wrong."  
"Shocking," the water dragon murmured. "So does that mean we don't have to parade into Meir Valan and beg for forgiveness for Hex's misguided antics?"  
The gem dragon frowned, "Not a clue. Keep your ears perked though. We're bound to learn something." Flashwing stood again and nodded to the others before she walked off.

"Someone will render me aid in standing once more?" Flameslinger huffed. "Your helping me walk the stiffness out is required."  
"Aw, poor baby!" Zap nearly cackled. "Gonna get cocky on us again?"  
Flameslinger scowled and made no promises. "I get up, I walk. Maybe not for a while."  
Rod snorted and put out a hand for his fellow Core, "I'm done helping you train for now. Why not ask Sunburn next time?"  
The elf scoffed as he took the storm giant's hand and let him pull him to his feet. "Teleport, flamethrower. Teleport, flamethrower. Teleport, _phoenix dash_. Non, the hybrid is not being fair. This I don't like."  
Zap rolled his eyes and gave an exaggerated toss of his head, "And you know all about fair. Uh-huh."


	14. To Stall and to Distract

**To Stall and to Distract**

At the moment Hex didn't want to hold company with anyone so she had found passage to the one place she could be assured she would be left alone – Wilikin Village. The peculiar wooden people were all pretending to sleep at the moment and the vast majority of objects, buildings included, were flat two dimensional fixtures held up by scaffoldings behind the painted wooden boards that made up the center of town. Hex perched atop one of the real rocks in the area; she kept glancing to the strange gumball machine-like device that would 'awaken' the Wilikin. She had no plans to use it but wanted to make sure it wasn't going to be switched on its own. Birds sang an annoying accompaniment to her mood; Hex could have done without their chatter. Being left alone to her thoughts had her re-evaluate what she had been through the past few days. The princess herself really wasn't that bad. The rest of her family, well Hex had no intentions of ever getting to know them. She _had_ struck a low blow in saying the princess didn't deserve to be a Skylander. She was competent, unafraid and resourceful and Hex kept ignoring it all because she was a princess.  
"_Priestess_," Hex said aloud. "She is a priestess." If she forgot about the royal blood then yes, she saw a completely different person. The Core scowled deeply, she would forever hear about the situation from the rest of the Cores.

Suddenly Hex remembered something and rose to her feet quickly. "Where is Seraphina?" she asked the nearest Wilikin. She didn't mean the Hexling but rather the Wilikin she had traveled with at one time. "I know you can hear me. You don't need me to switch into the other world!"  
The suit and top hat wearing Wilikin seemed to come to life with the knocking of wood and turning of gears deep within his casing. "Seraphina has gone on grand journey! She left at time when Kaos was most active and Skylanders visited the Wilikin many, many times."  
"Go back to sleep," Hex commanded with a wave of her hand.  
"This game _fun_!" the Wilikin exclaimed before he threw himself to the grass in a heap.  
"You're playing it wonderfully," Hex said absently as she turned to glide off. The Core shook her head, she wasn't sure why she wanted to see the Wilikin named Seraphina but thought it might have something to do with the fact she could give the Wilikin an honest scenario and play a game of pretend in which Hex approached her with the planned apology. If the Wilikin found it acceptable then that would be how Hex presented her apology. Once done she could leave Meir Valan and never have to set foot in the city again. "I'm stalling," Hex muttered to herself. The island was silent, the Wilikin wouldn't bother her. Hex would give herself until noon then she would get it over with. For the moment she simply wanted to enjoy the first true silence she had found in a long while.

Spyro's jaws opened wide for a triple fireball attack, the glowing orbs painted the inside of his mouth in shades of orange and yellow before they exploded outward at the dragon's opponent.  
The elf combatting Spyro dodged the fireball attacks and spun around with his staff creating a temporary shield to protect him from the dragon's next breath attack. The elf himself was odd looking, an eirian with metallic tan skin and reddish brown hair tied in four braids. Two braids were tied in a loop by the ends and reached all the way to the middle of his back. Two more were tied together on the front just under his collarbone. An unfortunate birthmark covered the left side of his face and neck that made him look to be standing in shadow constantly. As with standard mage fare he was dressed in a robe but when he moved right the trousers and boots worn under were clearly seen.

With a grunt Spyro lowered his head and charged the elven mage. He thought it would connect when he saw his opponent made no effort to move out of the way. Spyro's momentum was stopped rather suddenly. His torso kept moving forward but his feet were stuck fast to the paving stones. "Oof!" Spyro yelped when his chin hit the ground hard and his rear end was stuck in the air complete with thrashing tail. Someone was laughing at him from a safe distance and Spyro thought it was Cynder. The purple dragon growled and lifted his head up before swiveling it down to look at his feet. All four of them were encased in viscous clear goo of some sort that had him stuck like glue. He opened his mouth and turned his breath attack on the goo. It ignited and Spyro's eyes widened as he was left stuck in his own raging flames. The elf attacked then and the fire was turned into beautiful crystalline spires of ice. Spyro grinned and pulled hard on one front leg then the other. With the spidering of cracks and a loud pop the dragon freed his front limbs. Still the now crystalized goo stuck to him like misshapen blades. He raked his claws over the ice holding his hind legs to weaken it before he prepared himself for flight. A powerful beat of his wings shot him up into the sky and above the surprised elf with a snap and crash of ice.

The purple dragon and his opponent were in a battle arena; their audience consisted of a smattering of elven mages that had trickled in slowly as well as the Ignitorling and Cynder. Spyro didn't pay much attention to the spectators as he climbed up higher into the sky. His ascension wasn't without hazard, the mage he was facing off against kept sending spells his way. Everything from lightning bolts to fireballs and chunks of ice that rained down like hail on the dragon. The pea-sized bits of ice weren't terribly large but they sure did smart. They bounced off his scales and sounded like rain on the leaves of a tree when they hit the membrane of his wings. Occasionally one hit a horn or spike just right to make a plink sound.  
"Alright," Spyro murmured as he looked at his temporary bladed front limbs. He smirked and arced forward into a spiraling dive with the mage in the crosshairs.

"Wonderful speed," the elf murmured. "But too high to make an effective drop." He stepped aside and as he did so a barrier of ice arched up from the ground and spread out in a canopy over him.  
Spyro readjusted himself; if the elf thought the ice wall would protect him he was mistaken. Spyro could clearly see his opponent through the translucent surface. Just before impact the dragon understood that the ice wasn't a shield but a distraction. All of a sudden he saw multiple copies of the elf looking up through the ice.  
With a tremendous crash Spyro came through the ice barrier and slammed into the ground. Ice rained down and some of the paving stones cracked with the impact. Spyro's feet hit the ground and he was upright in an instant, the elf unharmed next to him with his staff against the dragon's snout. "Ah man," Spyro huffed, "I fell for it."  
The elf chuckled and tapped Spyro's snout with his staff. "You did well though, young dragon. My knee is still sore from the tail whip."  
Spyro shook himself free of debris and scratched at his shoulder. "My _tail_ is sore from that whip. What did you do to your leg?"  
"Stone armor," the mage grinned. "You cracked right through it. I am very glad I had it now. My leg would have been shattered."

"Archmage Mihangel," Anicetus called as he and Cynder strode across the grounds. "I would like to introduce you to Spyro of Core Skylander fame."  
The eirian laughed, "Oh so this is why you saved the introduction for later. It was a pleasure, Spyro," Mihangel said with a nod of his head.  
"Yeah, it was. You kept me guessing what you were going to throw at me next. I noticed you seemed to hold back."  
Mihangel raised an eye brow, "The point of training is to build skill. Not maim your opponent. Some spells are only used against inanimate objects or in situations in which it can save your life."  
"You have healers standing by," Spyro tilted his head to the mages clumped together chatting. "I would have been alright with it."  
Cynder cleared her throat when she realized the Archmage was taken aback by it. "Spyro takes training seriously. Very seriously," she explained. "If he think it will better him he's all for it." She sat down and let her tail sway behind her.  
"Perhaps I could indulge you, Spyro. But not today. We have an ascension today of novices to inducted. As Archmage it is my duty to handle the proceedings, you are more than welcome to attend if you would like." Mihangel shifted his staff from one hand to the next before he reached down to rub his sore knee. A little channeling of magic eased the discomfort nicely.  
Spyro looked first to Cynder then Anicetus, Cynder gave the barest of shrugs and Anicetus held out a hand informing Spyro the choice was completely his. "Uh, perhaps. Is it later today?"  
"Midafternoon," Mihangel nodded. He could already tell the dragon wasn't interested but he left the offer open nonetheless.  
"Prince Anicetus had already promised to show us much of Meir Valan's attractions. If it fits into our schedule then I'll be present."  
Mihangel smiled, "I enjoyed our sparring today, Spyro. I would like to repeat it at some time."  
"Next time I _won't_ fall for your tricks." Spyro grinned back with a quick unfurling of his wings.  
"I have many more where that one came from," the Archmage promised with a smirk. He dismissed the Skylander trio with a bow and watched them depart.

"Do you have any idea how ridiculous you looked with your tail in the air?" Cynder snickered once they were out of earshot of the Archmage. "When you got stuck in that slimy stuff was the best," she finally laughed.  
Spyro playfully head butt her in the shoulder and grinned at her when she flashed him a death glare. "I don't know, maybe next time _you_ should face the Archmage. I would love to see him handle your ghost allies."  
"Not a bad idea," Cynder mused as she looked over her shoulder. The Archmage was now involved in conversation with other mages that had presented him with documents and diagrams for his approval. "So prince, what's next?"  
"Where else do you take Skylanders in a city such as Meir Valan? There are plenty of other venues but they may not be to your liking," the Ignitorling replied. Honestly he didn't want to disappoint the Cores either, the question was genuine and he hoped one of them would give him an idea. They were dragons; their interests might be different than an elf's after all.

"When I was walking through the city yesterday," Cynder began, "I heard something about the amphitheater and the current play. It seemed intriguing," she suggested.  
Spyro groaned at that, he was interested in being active and not sedentary. "Why not find the princess and her ladies? I'm sure they'd love to join you."  
Anicetus snapped his fingers, or at least tried to. "Excellent idea. I will indulge you in combat, Spyro. We can have Crevan and Meilyr moderate and administer potions for recovery."  
The dragon's eyes lit up and his tail swished in a cat-like manner. "Now you're talking!"  
Cynder rolled her eyes, she loved to stay on her game as much as the next Skylander but a chance to unwind for once sounded like a better use for the day in the elven city. "I can find my way back to the palace, I'll see you later Spyro, Prince Anicetus," she said with a nod before she unfurled her wings and pushed off the paving stones to take flight.  
"If she had just waited, we were going that direction too," Anicetus chuckled.

Upon landing at the palace gates Cynder had made her appeal to a guard for an audience with Seraphina. Apparently the princess had been expecting her as the guard had bowed politely to Cynder and led her through parts of the palace she would not have seen otherwise to a grand garden behind it. The Climbing Gardens were given their name for the fact the area was built on the side of a hill and rose ever higher until it came flush with the cliff that marked the eastern-most border of Meir Valan. The guard had given Cynder a short geographical lesson of the area and perhaps later Cynder would explore the vale below the city. Parts were said to be open to the sky below, the only reminder in the center of the continent that the whole thing was a floating landmass.  
"I am afraid from this point you are on your own, the Gardens are sprawling with many mazes put in for fun and aesthetic purposes."  
"I'm not worried in the least," Cynder said as she held open her wings. "Thank you for getting me this far." The guard bowed again and turned to head back through the patio area and into the palace itself. "This place is huge," Cynder murmured as she turned back to the palace, there were a lot more 'public' rooms than she would have thought. Nearly the whole first floor of the palace was full of rooms for gatherings of music, art, social ventures and even a library open to the highest ranking members of the clergy, mages' college, nobles and merchants' guild. There was another library outside of the palace open to everyone of course, the palace library held rare finds and those they wanted to keep records of who perused their selection.

Cynder shook her head and launched herself into the air. The gardens were beautiful, she could fully appreciate them from her higher vantage point and understood some of the best rooms in the palace must overlook the sprawling green belt and it's artistry of design. The dark dragon wasn't surprised to find a fairly large amount of elves within the garden, it was her understanding that for certain hours of the day it was open to the public via a tunnel that passed wide around the palace district. She saw little niches dedicated to tranquility ponds with fish swimming lazily in them; other areas similar to meditation shrines and some paved areas with benches that held statues of what the dragon thought to be important figures in the city's history. The gardens were peaceful; Cynder could see herself using them to get away from people and stress. It didn't matter that she was undead, Cynder still had a deep respect for life and the beauty it contained. Maybe one day she could reverse the damage Malefor had done to her and truly feel like she belonged amongst the wonders of life. That hope would never leave her, Cynder simply wouldn't allow it.

Suddenly Cynder saw what she was looking for, a group of Skylanders sitting together at a tranquility pond with a beautiful willow tree in the center. It was just a moment of visibility before the swaying trails of the willow hid them from view but Cynder had recognized the red scarf around the Whirlwindling's neck and the priestess robes the Hexling wore as well as the staff she carried. The plant and dragon hybrid Camoling was an unknown to her, most likely a friend of Windy's that had come with her when she returned. Cynder began to spiral into a slow descent so as not to alarm the Garden's occupants.

Windy was the first to notice the shadow circling them. She held her tongue for a while and simply followed the dragon's flight. "I think that's Cynder," she said with a point skyward when Seraphina asked her what she was doing.  
Seraphina shaded her eyes and squinted to make out the dragon herself. "It is." She waved and let Cynder know she was aware of her. The dark dragon swooped down quicker and wheeled up for a landing beside the willow. She cast it a cautious stare, the trailing leaves had whipped up at the last second and caught her across the snout.  
"Green really is your color," the leafy, wingless dragon said with a grin.  
Cynder stared at him in surprise, it wasn't a Camoling; it was the _real_ Camo. "I'm not causing trouble, Camo," she said flatly to him. "You didn't have to come here to check on me or Spyro."  
The plant and dragon hybrid shook his leafy head, "No need to get thorny," he told Cynder. "I share a Portal Master with Windy. She invited me." He leaned his thorny head back and lifted a reddish colored foot up to scratch at his neck. "I wanted to see the elven city with my own red and yellow eyes," he said once he was sitting up straight again.  
Cynder folded her wings at her side and looked from Camo to Windy and Seraphina. "Well, I was originally going to ask to visit the theater but I suppose present company would dictate another avenue?" She actually sounded miffed over that.  
"Oh you are welcome to take your ah, 'leaf' from us if you wish," Camo grinned. "It was already decided we would visit the forest and the elfwood trees. Have you seen them before?" Camo said with excitement in his expression, "Like the trees in Treetop Terrace they're large enough to build cities in the boughs and knotted trunks. Unlike the Terrace trees they have trunks of pure alabaster white and leaves of royal purple."  
Cynder was quick to point out the fact that trees that large would be towering high enough to be seen from Meir Valan. "Where _are_ you traveling if not to the countryside here?"

"Uzern," Seraphina replied. "Another elven kingdom. Or rather it was. The city has been abandoned for generations. Above the canopy of elfwood trees is a newer elven kingdom, Haven. It floats on its own island anchored above the trees by thick vines entwined with rock. The vines provide passage to Haven without the need of a ship, if you do not mind a long climb at least."  
"Before you ask," Windy cut off Cynder's next question, "My biffer Krystal is standing by to open a portal for us. Seraphina gave her the coordinates so it's all cheese from here."  
It was silent for a while as the newly arrived dragon deliberated. "Very well, I will accompany you," Cynder nodded. "Seeing more of Tour is satisfying."  
"Ah, aren't we just a bunch of peas in a pod?" Camo said with the flip of his tail and chuckle.  
"You will eventually grow tired of his puns," Cynder said more to Seraphina than Windy, the Whirlwindling seemed to be immune.

"Alright Krystal, travel time ninja style; party of four!" Windy called out. A moment later and a glowing portal opened up behind the tranquility pond and splashed the area in gently pulsating and changing colors of light. "Feathers and vegetables first!" she giggled before leaping into it.  
"Last one through is a rotten tomato," Camo saluted before he too bound into the portal.  
"Go ahead," Seraphina laughed when Cynder looked to her, "I will be the rotten tomato this time." She waited for Cynder to pad onto the portal and vanish before she turned back to the palace's towering spires. Amara was comforting Morwen somewhere in there and as much as it hurt Seraphina to think about losing Teranika and Rafer again she knew she couldn't dwell on it. They were Skylanders, she thought with a sense of swelling pride. They would make it back against all odds. Skylanders always did. With a nod Seraphina picked up the staff she had leaned against the bench and drifted onto the portal where she vanished with it. The area was left empty once again with the willow's long branches swaying gently in the breeze.

"Clean combat," Anicetus told the two Fizzlings. "No game, Spyro wants a fair fight so fair it is. All I am asking of the two of you is to put a stop to combat when it looks like one of us is about to be sent back to Earth. Healing draughts are administered and combat ensues until one of us yields or becomes exhausted."  
"The use of the potions will not restore stamina. Or is that your plan?" Crevan asked.  
"You sure you want to fight with it all in?" Meilyr asked with a raised brow. "To anyone that stumbles upon the match it will look like an all-out brawl."  
"That's why the two of you are here, and to heal us," Spyro said with a shrug. He was sitting with the others in a practice yard connected to the guard barracks near the palace. Unlike the mage's practice yard this one had no paving stones and was bare dirt. Practice dummies were propped against the wall and racks full of lathes, bundles of sticks used to represent swords, were in the corners.  
Crevan's ears twitched, he had nothing against practice but a full on brawl was another matter entirely. "You are sure you want to do this?" he turned to Anicetus.  
"You know, I consider it an honor to prove myself to the leader of the Skylanders. So yes, I am sure I want to do this."

Meilyr tugged Crevan by the shoulder and nodded his head towards the outside track of the practice yard. After they had moved away from the others he told him his line of thinking, "Let him. He wants to show Spyro a good time here and if that means they are going to beat the snot out of each other I say enjoy the show." Meilyr further lowered his voice, "He may not look it but Anicetus _is_ upset over his cousin."  
Crevan's ears drooped, "There are better ways to cope."  
"You do not know Anicetus very well. Rounding on Spyro will tire him out and prevent an outburst later." Meilyr nodded and looked back to where the prince and Spyro were talking. "Let him deal in his way. I may not like it any more than you but if it prevents a moody and snappy prince then I can go with it."

The blade Anicetus held was neither the sword granted to him by his Ignitorling form nor the one he preferred to carry that marked him as the prince of Meir Valan. He had instead taken an enchanted blade from the armory that was wreathed in fire and strong enough to withstand the damage it was going to see in fighting the dragon. His armored feet crunched on loose pebbles scattered about in the dirt as he took a ready stance.  
"I am sorry I cannot give you a full display. Kaos made sure my other elements were locked away so all I possess now is fire." Spyro turned back to the Fizzlings and nodded his head to signify he was ready. All the two combatants waited on was one of the two Fizzlings to call the start of the match.  
"Anything goes," Meilyr called out with one arm raised high. "Begin!" he dropped his arm and looked to Crevan, the other Fizzling had already set out healing droughts on an upended barrel.

Anicetus opened with a fire mortar shot; he propelled his flame form out of his armor and met Spyro's charge head on. The dragon's forward momentum had to be quickly altered to move sideways to avoid the heat from the fire spirit. His scales provided him some measure of protection but when they got hot it was rather uncomfortable. Spyro beat his wings to help move himself away from the fiery figure. Anicetus retreated quickly to his armor; with the dragon increasing his speed via flight the Ignitorling's armor would be vulnerable. He was forced to go into a roll right as Spyro's jaws snapped closed near his sword arm. Anicetus's flaming sword came in quickly to fend off the claw rake Spyro followed through with. The dragon hissed when the enchanted blade nicked the side of a delicate finger digit and the fire burned hungrily on the wound for a few seconds after the blade left. He back pedaled and let the Ignitorling get to his feet while he licked the small wound, it really smarted. He couldn't let that sword hit him anywhere else; it was just as dangerous as the original Ignitor's.

The prince studied the dragon who had taken to circling him with his head held low and wings tight against his sides for defense. Spyro was young and still comparatively small for a dragon but he was no less dangerous. Anicetus could see fire licking at the corners of Spyro's mouth and knew what was coming. He jumped aside as the dragon opened his maw wide. It was a distraction though; Spyro turned his head and finished the attack when Anicetus was still off-balance from his dodge. The triple orbs closed the distance quickly and one found its mark. The armored arm of the Ignitorling twisted around at an odd angle and the fire spirit cried out in pain. He was forced to drop his sword and use his other hand to wrench the armor back into the proper place. That armor was his means of defense as well as how he took damage. His fire form was impervious but using it left his empty armor vulnerable to attack. Spyro didn't give Anicetus a chance to reclaim his blade and lowered his head to charge him with flaming horns burning brightly.

Anicetus held his ground for as long as possible before he threw himself to the side and snared his blade in the process. The Ignitorling was on his feet in the next moment and hopped awkwardly to the side to avoid the thrashing whip of Spyro's tail. The weaponized tip could easily take one or both of Anicetus's legs off and he would have to abandon his armor to fetch the pieces and reassemble it for use. Spyro didn't stop with one swipe and reversed his momentum to catch the prince on the return. He hadn't been able to wind up as much so the impact was less powerful than it could have been. Still it knocked the prince flat on his back and Spyro leapt atop the Ignitorling and growled in his face. He opened his jaws to bite his opponent but found the flat of the prince's blade wedged between his teeth. It rendered Spyro's fire breath useless if he couldn't move his tongue away from one of the glands that would mix the combustible chemicals. The dragon narrowed his eyes and growled menacingly as he shifted his weight and brought one paw up to try and wrench the helm off the Ignitorling.  
It was risky but Anicetus curled his arms back towards him. It surprised the dragon and when he released his hold on the Ignitorling's helm Anicetus pumped his arms back up quickly and the blade slipped out from between the dragon's teeth and cut through the corners of his mouth.

Spyro screamed in agony as the fire ate at the tender flesh around his mouth. He pushed off the prince and clamped his jaws shut with a whimper. The fire had cauterized the wound so it didn't bleed but still Spyro tasted the coppery bitterness of blood. He saw Crevan raise a hand and Anicetus turn to watch the Fizzling as well. "No," Spyro hissed through the discomfort. "Not yet, it is not debilitating." It had rendered his fire breath useless however; he couldn't risk the combustible liquids getting too close to the open wound. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes for a moment. When they finally reopened they were full of fire, he nodded again to Anicetus and the combatants launched themselves at one another once more.

Light barely pierced the canopy of trees near the forest floor. It gave the whole area the feel of eternal twilight with a hazy quality. Here the plants that grew best needed little light and some of the more unique varieties of flora possessed a phosphorescent glow that gave the area an etheric look with soft yellows, blues, pinks and greens dotting the trunks of the trees. Most of the trees were elfwood, their smooth trunks shone brightly, almost wetly, in the light granted by the glowing plants.  
"It's beautiful," Windy said in awe, "and a little creepy." The trunks were overall smooth with small ripples across their surface. They stretched up above the line of sight with the impression of never ending and left Windy wondering if the elfwood trees and their roots were what had allowed Tour to become such a large landmass. She could only imagine how far one tree's roots reached. The width of the trunks themselves was enormous; Windy could hardly believe what she was seeing. She had known mansions to cover less area than the trunks of these trees!  
"Throw a grass mat here, hang some willow branches there for a door. Nice and homey!" Camo said happily.  
"It reminds me of a few crypts I've seen," Cynder said. The thought amused her in all honestly, the way things mirrored each other in life and death. This place was vibrant and alive with creatures of all walks of life around them. She saw birds flutter up out of shrubs and smaller animals scramble around the trunks and peer out of shady areas at the Skylanders. Cynder stepped through the leafy undergrowth carefully; the ground was spongy and wet under her feet. The forest floor was an alien landscape that had her notice new things no matter where she looked.  
"When you are ready I can take you to Uzern. The lifts are still working and most of the city is traversable." Seraphina looked to Cynder and Windy then back to Camo before herself. "Though two of you will be able to see more of the city." She tapped the butt of her staff against her hovering feet.  
"I like it here," Camo said as he turned in a full circle. "We see the dead elven city after I have discovered all the forest floor has to offer." He trotted through the undergrowth up to the base of one of the white trunked trees and sat down in reverence at the base of it. The plant dragon had such a look of respect on his face for the massive tree.

"He is gonna be there a while," Windy sighed and rolled her eyes. "We could see the city and be back down here before he even knows we're missing. Trust me; Camo is more interested in this than the city."  
"The plant life changes as you travel up higher in the canopy," Seraphina said. She looked up to the general location of the city. "The city is in ruins now, the forest reclaiming completely the area. The balance elves maintained has shifted to the rule of the wilderness. In its state of ruin there is a strange beauty to the city."  
"As beautiful as it is here I would like to move on," Cynder said. "I feel…something that makes me slightly uncomfortable."  
"I thought it was just me," Windy said with the tilt of her head.

"The remainder of wards set in place by the Uzernian elves against the force that drove them from their city," Seraphina replied. "Kaos is only the latest threat to Skylands. There have been evil forces since the beginning. The Arkeyan Empire is a testament to that fact. The woods are haunted by the restless spirits of the elves that fell in combat. I have seen them but they have never bothered me."  
"And the city?" Windy asked with a shiver and eyes pointed upwards.  
"Silent," the princess sighed, "Even the spirits feel they have no right to return to it."  
"What happened here?" Cynder asked in earnest curiosity. Part of her wondered if her status as an undead would change events. Seraphina too might find the area different if the spirits felt the two Skylanders were kindred.  
"War. Before they joined the ranks of Kaos's minions the drow were still settled near regular elven cities. At that time they were simply known as dark elves. When the drow tried to take Uzern from the eirian they upset the balance of nature. As elves we are tied to the element of life first and foremost. Life is coupled with light, the force that drives it and flows through every other element as well. The drow tried to support life and darkness. Darkness is the illusion of fear, anger and hatred. Life cannot flourish without light to fuel it and darkness warps it. The drow killed this city and nearly took the elfwood trees with them. The Uzernians had no choice but to leave the city.  
If they stayed the forest would have died, the drow had weakened it and it could no longer support the eirian as well as the rest of the flora and fauna. The Uzernians tried to save the forest but the drow had driven so much fear into the hearts of the city's people that they felt the light wasn't powerful enough to overcome the darkness. Their doubt made it happen, without anyone to believe the forest would survive it began to die. With the doubt of the elves gone the forest survived and even thrived. We have vowed never to resettle Uzern out of respect for those that fell and the concern that the darkness lurks here still to infect new hearts and poison the forest again."

"The trees miss the elves," Camo surprised the others with his reappearance. "They overtake the city to keep it from crumbling away." The hybrid looked sad as he ambled slowly up to the sides of his fellow Skylanders. "I want to see the city after all. The forest considers that its heart and wants elves there once more." He looked between Seraphina and Windy. Even though the Whirlwindling wasn't currently an elf the forest knew her true self.  
Cynder looked from Camo to the trees, it always unnerved her the way he could talk to plants. Yet there was a part of her that sympathized with the forest. She knew what it was like to lose something dear. "Alright. Now I really want to see this city."

With the toss of Spyro's head Anicetus's sword arm went flying. The dragon still tasted metal; both from his wounds and the fact he just had a large chunk of armor in his mouth. The dragon bared his teeth and flexed his claws in the dirt before he once again charged at the Ignitorling. Anicetus threw himself to the side and vacated his suit of armor to run at the dragon. Spyro's plan hadn't been to ram the Ignitorling however. His wings snapped out suddenly and he launched himself into the air. His claws grabbed at the flame spirit and passed harmlessly through him. The dragon roared and wheeled around to go for the empty armor.  
Anicetus felt as though he had never run faster in his whole life. He had reclaimed his discarded arm and sword and was trying to race Spyro to his armor. He did the only thing he could think of and altered his grip on the sword he carried and launched it like a spear towards the dragon.  
Out of the corner of his eye Spyro saw the flaming sword coming for him. His eyes widened and he wheeled up just in time to avoid the blade. It soared by his chest in slow motion before it made a dull thump on the dirt. The dragon huffed and climbed up higher into the sky, he was going to pound the Ignitorling into submission.

With a quick dash Anicetus reclaimed his sword and brought the arm back to the rest of his armor before he once again took up residence in it. He grumbled as he watched the circling dragon, he knew what was coming and was actually surprised the dragon hadn't already crushed him. "I am right here!" Anicetus yelled to Spyro. "Come and get me!"  
Spyro heard the prince yell and smirked before he flinched, that really hurt with his wound. Spyro waited until the twinge of pain had ebbed before he angled his wings and streamlined himself for a dive. He had no illusions that it would work how he had it planed but that was alright. He could fake out too. With a precise tilt of his wings and angle of his body the purple dragon picked up speed and kept the Ignitorling in sight.  
"Almost," Anicetus murmured to himself. He held his position; it wouldn't work if he moved. If he could the Ignitorling would have been sweating. Anicetus braced himself and sheathed his sword just before he launched himself at the dragon.  
Spyro's jaws cracked open, he was going to make this last attack count no matter how much discomfort it caused. He wheeled up at the last possible moment and let loose the largest fireball he could muster.

"Enough! Enough!" Crevan yelled with wide eyes as Anicetus's armor was blown apart by Spyro's breath and the dragon took a direct hit in the chest from Anicetus's fire form. The dragon hit the dirt hard with a sickening crack and Anicetus collapsed with severely diminished flames. "Move," he gasped to Meilyr. The two Fizzlings took off with a potion in each hand towards the combatants. It wasn't so much that the Skylanders would die, it was that they had amassed a crowd of spectators and the story of Hex had cycled through the palace by now. The last thing Crevan and Meilyr wanted was more rumors of Cores permeating the ranks.  
Meilyr kneeled by Anicetus and seemed lost over trying to find the fire spirit's head so he could pour the potion down his throat.  
"Here, idiot," Anicetus teased before waving a flaming arm from the direction opposite Meilyr was facing.  
"Light Ani," the Fizzling muttered before he held the potion up to the part of his friend he now knew to be his face. "You look like hell. I have never been so terrified of seeing a fire go out than right now."  
"Spyro?" the prince sputtered after the potion had been drained. His flames were steady now and he managed to prop himself up on shaky arms.  
"Crevan is tending him." Meilyr marveled at the prince's armor. So many dents from the dragon's attacks and puncture holes too. He was surprised Spyro's lips and gums weren't all torn up. Maybe they were and the dragon was choosing to ignore it.

The horrible wet wheezing sound Spyro made when he tried to breathe chilled Crevan to the bone. He tenderly held the dragon's head up and pried his jaws open to pour the potion down his throat. Spyro choked and coughed before his eyes rolled up to look at Crevan. "Did I win?" Spyro asked hoarsely.  
"I think it was a draw," Crevan replied before he made the purple dragon drink another potion. Light the dragon was a mess, burned scales and even some missing to expose raw flesh and muscle. He was going to need more potions before he could stand. Crevan knew it was a punctured lung among a multitude of other broken bones that kept him on his side.  
"A draw," Spyro laughed then flinched. "That I can live with." He groaned and put his head down; the Fizzling was already popping the cork on another healing draught.


	15. Forgiven and Hopeful

**Forgiven and Hopeful**

The platform that took the party of Skylanders up to the city of Uzern was nearly covered in moss and lichen that glowed a soft yellow color. It was a marvel that the magic even worked anymore with so many of the power crystals encased in vines or other plant life. Camo's leafy tail was swaying anxiously and he was pacing about on the platform as he looked up above him and out into the ghostly scene of pale tree trunks and their glowing patches of toadstools, moss and assorted fungus. At one point a thick mass of vines had suddenly appeared in the gloom and held a multitude of rocks in it. Some as large and flat as the yard for a home. Seraphina had explained it as one of the larger anchor lines for Haven.

"It's so quiet," Windy whispered. Even then it sounded as if she had shouted.  
"The forest is asleep," Camo replied. "It waits for its old friends to return."  
"What was left of the Uzernians moved to Haven," Seraphina said with a motion towards the anchor vine. "Some traveled further to Star Pointe. Still Uzern has the most descendants in Haven, so close to their ancestral home but yet so far away."  
"The forest is happy to see you," Camo nodded. "And Windy. You are both familiar even though you do not look like yourselves in the mirror."  
Seraphina was amused by the other Core and slightly in awe of the whole situation. She had never expected to travel with one Core let alone four. "Ah, we are here," the princess announced as the platform began to slow. She braced herself on her staff in preparation for the stop.

At last the city came into view, ancient elven architecture that seemed to be parts of the trees that held it aloft. Ornate buildings like those of Meir Valan made of the same alabaster material as the elfwood trees themselves greeted the visitors and were held in place by snaking vines that produced flowers of various colors. Parts had fallen away only to be replaced by the same thick vines as a means to fill in the gaps. Now that Camo had told Seraphina how the forest felt she did see it as the forest trying to keep the city whole for the return of elves.

"Wow," Windy said breathlessly. Timidly she took a step out onto the landing platform. Once she was satisfied that it was indeed sturdy she walked out further. Windy had never imagined such a city as Uzern. She saw level upon level, they had entered on the lowest tier and the city stretched up several stories above her head. "Bruce," she said at last. "This is… beautiful."  
"I can only image what it looked like when it was alive," Cynder added with wonder evident in her voice. The city was amazing, it seemed to glow in the etheric light from the phosphorescent lichen and the shafts of sunlight that managed to pierce the canopy. As beautiful as it was there was also an undeniable sadness to the empty elven city. Cynder saw many windows and doorways as yawning black chasms. The city wasn't as empty as it looked, birds had roosted in certain fixtures and mammals that lived in the boughs of the elfwood trees scurried about and turned curious gazes on the visitors. Still, the city could have been so much more alive with its elven inhabitants.

"What made you suggest this place?" Windy questioned as she walked over a thick bough that acted as a bridge between two platforms. Her gaze kept roving, there was simply so much to see she thought she would miss something if she wasn't ever vigilant.  
"I wanted to show you something different than the hustle and bustle of Meir Valan," Seraphina replied. "It has been a while since I was last here. I wanted to visit it again. There is sadness here but also a hope I have always felt. It seems more predominant now though for reasons I do not understand."  
"You said the woods below the city are haunted?" Cynder asked.  
The Hexling nodded, "They are. I am surprised we have not already seen the spirits that dwell there." She glided along silently in what seemed to be a state of reverie. The decorative crystal head on the staff she carried had an ever so soft glow to it and when she wasn't speaking to her companions she seemed to be praying.  
Cynder got the impression she was treading on elven holy ground and decided to silence her thoughts for the time being. A part of the dragon marveled at the trust Seraphina had shown them in bringing them to such a sacred place for the elves. Cynder could feel the power of the ancient city and she knew the spirits were nearby just as well as Seraphina did. They were attuned to such things being undead, though Seraphina probably always had been with her training as a priestess.

"Stop here," Camo said after a long walk in silence. "This tree is the oldest in the city." He sat down next to a nearly pristine elven building and bowed his head. Seraphina seemed to move in time with him and had bowed her head as well before Cynder and Windy followed suit.  
"The palace used this tree as a foundation," Seraphina whispered softly. "Levels above our heads sits the first floor of it and it spirals up and out to the adjoining trees. Kaelin's family came from Uzern. His great grandfather was king when the drow started the war. His grandfather fled to Haven when he was but a child and later married the only heir of Haven's king and queen thereby changing the ruling family from Avalon to Alistair. My family has a history here as well; a Reve not in line for the throne had come to Uzern to settle. That branch of my family tree ended here when the drow nearly killed the elfwood."

Cynder listened politely, she recognized the name Kaelin as the king of Haven that had become a Skylander and was forced to return the crown to his mother upon his banishment. Cynder did not yet know of Seraphina's link to Kaelin. "Spyro often speaks of places like Uzern that he's read about."  
"I have heard stories," Windy started in a voice that cracked before she cleared her throat, "I have heard stories about Uzern. It's used as a warning where I'm from. To be true and have faith in your beliefs and to never give in to darkness or else you lose like you had handed victory directly to your enemy."  
Camo nodded to Windy's statement, "The trees say this is true. Come they want you to see something." The leafy dragon rose to his feet and began to tread deeper into the city without bothering to make sure the others followed him.  
Spyro was exhausted, he was healed but the weariness had not passed. There was some stiffness in his limbs and a few muscles felt strained. The potions had healed his battle wounds but left the evidence of his physical exertion behind. Sitting next to him on a bench in the healer's room inside the palace was Prince Anicetus. The Ignitorling showed his fatigue through softer flames and a slouch in his posture. "Best spar I've had in a long while," the dragon grinned.  
"You are insane," Crevan chided Anicetus and to a certain extent Spyro too. "As if you do not see enough true battle against Kaos's minions."  
"I find trial and error helps me learn faster," Spyro replied. "If I have had the chance to try something before it really counts I can iron out the kinks and ensure the results are what I want."  
"You are reckless for a prince," Crevan told the Ignitorling. "You are your father's heir. How do you expect to lead Meir Valan if you have so little regard for your own safety?"

"He will be fine," Meilyr finally spoke up.  
Anicetus held up a hand as he hopped off the bench to stand. "I know my limits. I would never have indulged Spyro in combat like that if death was a possible outcome. As a Skylander I knew I was safe."  
Crevan folded his arms in front of his chest, "And if the curse is ever altered so we cannot simply retreat to our prisons to rest?"  
"Then I will have earned my fate," Anicetus replied in nonchalance. Spyro didn't seem so sure of himself and seemed to think hard on the subject with a furrowed brow.

"Prince Anicetus," Avon De'clan startled the Skylanders in the infirmary with his sudden appearance. His face seemed to be tight as if he were purposely keeping his expression from changing from its determined set. "Hex has returned and is seeking an audience with your family."  
"She had better mind her tongue," the Ignitorling answered sourly.  
The weariness fled from Spyro's face in an instant, "As Hex's superior I request to join the audience as well." The dragon's claws clacked on the marble floor as he leapt off the bench and stood up tall next to his fellow Skylanders.  
Avon nodded, "Your presence has been requested. Unfortunately Seraphina has taken leave with others and it is for her benefit Hex is truly here."  
"She will apologize to the family then we will seek out the princess," Spyro promised with a deep nod of his head.  
"I am sorry, Meilyr, but for this gathering you will have to remain absent." The captain gave his son an apologetic look.  
Meilyr held up a giant furry paw, "I understand. Crevan and I can wait outside."  
Crevan nodded his agreement and perhaps he could contact Beth to get them all to wherever Seraphina had traveled to. "I take no offence at the request to remain separate."

The fact the king had called for Hex to meet with him, the queen and prince in the queen's personal garden didn't seem to faze her one bit. It wasn't inside the palace so Hex felt more at ease. She was however utterly startled to see the queen get up from where she had been toiling away in the dirt. This was not something Hex expected to see, queens never got their hands dirty. They always ordered someone else to do it. But it was in fact Delyth Reve; Hex couldn't forget that calmly serene face and the blonde hair that tried to escape from the braid she wore it in.  
"I must explain something to you about tradition first," the king said once Anicetus and Spyro had finally arrived. "To meet here with Delyth obviously in no state to greet visitors would be insulting to a noble. The fact you have been asked to meet us here is not our way of giving you insult." The king paused for a moment; so far Hex's expression hadn't changed. He hoped that meant she understood the point he was trying to make, he continued on with it just in case. "You have shown great disdain for ceremony and tradition so Delyth suggested we take an informal route with you."  
The queen gave a brief nod, "If you find this insulting please, let us know and allow me the time to make myself presentable and we shall try again as per the usual custom."

Hex looked at the queen and saw a lot of how Seraphina carried herself in the queen. She had seen paintings of all three royal children in the palace and Seraphina looked much like her mother with her dark haired sister Eloryn taking after their father and platinum blonde Anicetus in the middle. "No, this is fine. More for the fact I do not wish to spend more time here than I must." Hex was blunt and honest, even though the king tensed up it was something he could obviously understand.  
Spyro hissed at it and flinched, the king shook his head and the dragon calmed himself. If the royal couple took no offence then he had no reason to reprimand Hex.

Hex glanced between Spyro and the Reve family. She had come here for a reason and the sooner she got it over with the sooner she could be done with the loud city and its feeling of overwhelming cultural differences. Grudgingly Hex curtsied for the royal family. "I ask for your forgiveness, King Hayden and Queen Delyth Reve. And your forgiveness as well Prince Anicetus. I was rude and impetuous earlier without any regard for whom it was that I spoke to. I said things in anger that I now regret and am unable to revoke. I have offended your rule and jeopardized the alliance Meir Valan and its outlaying kingdoms have with the Skylanders. I do not wish for my words or actions to be a reflection of the Skylanders as a whole. I humbly ask that you turn any wrath you may have completely on me and spare the Skylanders, particularly its Core Members, from your ire."

Hex kept her head down as the king mulled over her words. She spoke with conviction which meant she honestly believed what she said. Hayden looked to Delyth; she missed his pointed question and instead was studying Hex intently as the Core subjugated herself.  
"Raise your head, Hex," Delyth asked in that soft voice of hers. Despite her present state of disarray the queen still held herself like the royalty she was. There was a kindness in her face that Hex had not expected to see after what she had done but the Core didn't question it.  
"We come from two different walks of life," Delyth began, "While you hail from a village your safety was ensured by a king somewhere even if you never dealt with any of his forces. He may not have sent officials into your village to collect taxes or bring medicine but his duty was to protect you and your fellow villagers from outlaying forces that would seek to plunder and destroy it. The king's rule is not absolute; there are always times in which a king cannot protect from a certain event. That does not mean you are invisible or not cared for. Countries can be rather large with settlements scattered widely. Rest assured that the borders are defended and the king keeps most of the threats from ever finding their way in. I am sorry you see us as such an alien force and so far removed from the normal flow of life. Perhaps one day we shall understand one another better. I accept your apology, Hex the Skylander."

The sorceress nodded, she had expected the queen to be easier to win over. She could tell the prince was not satisfied however; his flames were a tell-tale red. The king at least looked thoughtful in how his facial expression kept changing as he picked at different parts of what Hex had said as well as what his wife had.  
"Seraphina had been nothing short of accommodating," Anicetus said when no one else spoke up. "Her choice to bring you to Meir Valan was supposed to be an act of goodwill. To show you the trust she was willing to grant you by inviting you into the palace and indeed granting you a room in it for whenever you returned to the city. She saw your contemptuousness and thought that by making herself vulnerable she was giving you a chance to look into how she had set herself apart from the norm. That perhaps you would stop seeing her as someone who looked down on others but stood beside them and shared their plight while trying to lift them up. You remained blind to what spurred her actions and saw only a haughty flaunting. I will accept your apology only after Seraphina has." The prince folded his arms over his chest and said nothing else after.  
Hex's blood boiled, what more did he expect from her? What could she possibly be expected to pay in order to prove she truly regretted her words and actions? She nearly opened her mouth for a hot retort but heard Spyro grunt beside her and caught him watching her out of the corner of his eye. Hex exhaled slowly and bowed her head before the prince. Fine, if he wanted to wait for Seraphina's approval then she would let the fool remain stubborn.

"There is nothing else I could ask of you as repentance. I can see that forcing you into any form of indentured service would only further set your mind against us," Hayden said at last when it seemed the garden would be silent forever. "I accept your apology, Lady Hex," the king nodded. "Meir Valan's gates are still open to you. I ask only that you treat us with respect while here just as we endeavor to do with you. You may not hold the title of royalty but your fame grants you much of the same form of admiration and even loathing."

Hayden nodded slowly when Hex gave him a surprised look. "We are not so different, Skylander and royalty. You too are above the normal citizenry; your name is known from one end of Skylands to another. In a way you are a more powerful presence than any king or his kingdom. People from all walks of life and all nations look to you for hope and assurance that tomorrow will come and they will still be free from the oppression of Kaos. Kings look to you to rally their citizens for your fame builds legends that make you larger than life and more awe-inspiring than a ruler who has to contend with taxes, rationing of trade and the mundane property disputes between his people. Therein lays the problem as well. You have been made out to be an individual with more strength and pull than you possess. There will be those that expect you to move the moon and stars above and when you fail to do so they will scorn you for your failure. I pray that you never find yourself in such a situation."  
Hex stood there in a stunned silence, she wanted to scream at the king that she was nothing like him but the Core held her tongue; there was truth in his words and she knew it even if she didn't like it.

The king sighed and his shoulders rolled forward for a second, he looked very tired for just a moment before he collected himself and looked between Hex and Spyro. The dragon seemed to be affected by his words just as much as Hex was. Hayden had not meant to make them doubt themselves and a part of him wished he had thought more about what he was going to say. He ended the silence then, "Seraphina told me she was traveling to the abandoned elven city of Uzern. You may wish to seek her there or remain in the city until she returns. We can also send you a summons upon her return if you would prefer." Spyro's head shot up at the mention of Uzern and he seemed very eager to hear Hex's reply.  
Uzern was a name known to Hex, she was thoroughly interested in finally seeing this city old stories spoke of. "I will meet her in Uzern," the Core replied. \"After I speak with her do not expect my return. Once my business is taken care of there is no reason for me to return to Meir Valan."

"I understand," the queen nodded.  
"As do I," Hayden said with a short bow of respect to Hex and Spyro. "Thank you, Skylanders, for all you have done for Skylands. I regret that we have such inconsolable differences, Lady Hex. If you have need of us Meir Valan is still willing to lend a hand." The king offered a smile, one that seemed rather uneven and was most likely something the queen had told him to punctuate his offer with. If Hex didn't know better she would have thought the queen was grimacing slightly at her husband's not so genuine smile.

Meilyr stood up quickly from where he had been leaning against the wall in the hall that led to the queen's personal garden. Anicetus held a hand up and walked past him without a word. Meilyr turned to follow him but was stopped by Commander Roghallach, the commander and captain both had been standing by in the event things didn't go as smoothly as planned. Meilyr grumbled but moved backward to let Roghallach know he could take his hand off the Fizzling's shoulder.  
Hex glided out next followed by Spyro. The sorceress hovered off to the side with her arms folded as she regarded the hall full of bystanders. She said not a word and Spyro seemed to be in fair enough spirits to give the others a hint at how it went. Still no one wanted to say a thing with Hex lingering around silently.

"And where are you off to in such a hurry?"  
Anicetus hadn't even seen Lan in the hall when he re-entered the palace. The groom must have expected Anicetus to do exactly as he had and been lying in wait for him. "Hex barely respected a word said by my parents," he replied to Lan without stopping his brisk pace. The Ignitorling was slightly irritated by Lan's persistence when he paced him.  
"They tried," Lan shrugged, "when an idea is rooted as deeply as it seems to be for Hex things will hardly change after only one talk. Let it be, perhaps it is better this way. She made the effort to appear for a formal apology did she not?"  
Anicetus snorted, "Barely. She still held that air about her that said she was better than us and when my father pointed it out under the cover of comparing hero to ruler she bristled like a pot brush."  
"Let it be, Anicetus," Lan said again in a soft tone. "There is no need to get worked up over it. She is one person and you have met others not like her in the Cores have you not?"  
The prince waved his hands in aggravation, "Quit trying to bring logic and reason into it and let me brood!"

Lan stopped walking and grunted. "So you have no desire to accompany the others as they escort Hex to Uzern?"  
Anicetus stopped in mid-step, almost tripped more like it, before he turned around. "How do you know they are traveling to Uzern?"  
"Do you really think Hex will want to stew for long on what your parents said? The one she owes the apology to most she has yet to speak to. She wants to close the book on this chapter, Ani. And if I know you, you have not accepted Hex's apology and will not until Seraphina has. So, I ask you again – are you going to accompany the others to Uzern? They will most likely leave the moment they have a Portal Master's attention."  
The prince made a sound similar to a growl before he turned around and strode past Lan in the direction he had just come. The older elf remained where he was until he was certain Anicetus had met back up with the others before he set off down the halls in a normal pace. Personally he would have liked to join the party on their expedition to Uzern but as he had never been trained to work with portals and wasn't a Skylander it wouldn't be possible.

"The Temple of Light," Seraphina said fondly when Camo finished leading them to his destination. "Why here? The temple is nearly inaccessible."  
"Is it?" Camo smirked. He turned back around to face the broken walkway and instantly the vines extended to bridge the gap. They grew thick with age and even hardened and darkened as if petrified. "Don't worry, this one won't explode. As much as I love making things do that to people I can't let the trees down now when we're so close."  
"I only meant to show the old city and the wonder of a forest reclaiming it," Seraphina began in confusion, "what is it we are now being set to accomplish?"  
Camo shook his head and urged the others on. "Don't pretend you don't know what's going on, the trees have told me they're talking to you. To Cynder too."

"Who's talking to them?" Windy asked nervously.  
"The fallen Uzernians," Cynder replied.  
"The dead people!?" Windy squealed. Her eyes grew wide and she began to pant as she looked around. "You said they stayed in the forest, never came back to the city!" she whirled on Seraphina with an accusing tone.  
"They… followed me," she said slowly with a tighter grip on her staff. "I do not understand why."  
"What are they saying?" Windy dared to ask with a squeak.  
"Asking about how their loved ones fair, the ones that fled the city. They want to know why Skylanders have returned and they want to know why you and Seraphina have souls not shaped like your bodies."  
"They can see that?" Windy was scandalized by that and suddenly felt very naked. She pulled her feathered wings in tightly against her to stifle her sudden chill.  
"They mean you no harm," Seraphina said as she looked behind them. "These are benevolent spirits that have stayed to care for the elfwood in the absence of their living kin." She smiled at something before she turned back around. "Then we should enter the temple."

It was Cynder that pushed ahead this time, she was very eager to see what was about to happen and couldn't help but be excited with the presence of so many bouncing children. She could see them as could Seraphina and a part of Cynder ached for them, a part she thought Malefor had stolen from her. She saw mothers and children as well as farmers, merchants and artisans in the city just as often as soldiers. So many innocents had perished when the drow invaded. The compassion and sympathy Cynder felt for them and felt them return to her was nearly overwhelming for the undead dragon. She had never known her family and in this place even though they were elves and she a dragon, she felt like part of a family.

When Cynder set foot into the temple the whole of the interior lit up with pale blue light so light in color it was nearly white. The inside of the temple was completely devoid of plant life even though the outside was hardly recognizable as a building. Cynder looked back to the rest of her party and saw Camo was grinning widely and even Windy was at peace and relaxed. The Core was shocked when the Whirlwindling suddenly ceased being the copy Cynder knew her as and was once again a young elf in her teenage years. Windy looked at her hands in awe then ran them down her sides to make sure she was seeing what she thought she was. It was hard to tell what color she was supposed to be as she was now glowing the same color as the walls. Seraphina too had changed, now she was slightly shorter with more ample curves on her no less athletic frame. Nothing seemed more thrilling to the princess however than the fact her feet were now resting on the temple's floor. The smile she wore was the largest Cynder had seen yet.

"Oh wow," Windy said as she looked back to see her rump without the tail she had grown accustomed to. "Is this magic from Uzern?" She looked to Camo who was sitting there grinning happily then past an equally delighted Cynder to Seraphina. She had seen the princess in paintings inside the palace but to see her as she was in person was somehow harder to believe.  
"It is magic alright; I would not exactly call it something related to Uzern alone. There is a concentration of it here and I guess something about us trig-" Seraphina was cut off by Windy's sharp intake of breath. The other elf had her knuckles pressed to her lips and her eyes again were as wide as dinner plates.  
"I see them! I see the elves!" she exclaimed in surprise. "So many little kids," she added on a sadder note.

"The energy of life lingers on after death, the light that so sustained them gave them something to hold onto when all else failed. They are guardians of Uzern now but there is more for them than this old city," Seraphina said. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply as she felt sensations she hadn't known since before the banishment flood back into her. She felt her old skills return and she could touch every element again that she so desired. To wrap herself again in the light felt wonderfully familiar. She knew it was always there, something about being a Hexling had prevented her from touching it however.  
"If you glow any brighter you are going to rival my sun bursts!" Camo laughed. He had to shield his eyes as the princess drew in the light she had so missed. "Oh, the trees say we have company. More elves!"

The glow from the portal was gone but the dark area was still dotted with patches of color and light from the unique plants. The small group had begun to follow Anicetus, the only one that seemed to know where they were heading. Spyro stopped dead in his tracks when pale blue figures suddenly appeared out of nowhere. So many elves in armor had surrounded the newly arrived group. He growled and took a ready stance before preparing a fireball.  
"No!" Crevan and Meilyr yelled at once. Crevan took Spyro by a wing and Meilyr grabbed a horn.  
The dragon released his fireball; it was nothing more than a small flame that winked out when he let his jaws fall open. "Explain what I am seeing, someone," the dragon said in equal parts irritation and anxiety.

"The fallen of Uzern," Hex said in awe. "The elves that perished so long ago when the drow tried to take the city. I thought they were rumors. Priests have cleared the forest many times to send the dead on their ways and into the afterlife." The sorceress clasped her hands before her and bowed in respect to the ancient spirits.  
"Seraphina told me they stayed because they had a purpose and until that purpose was filled they were unable to leave. I have never seen them before this moment." The Ignitorling turned slowly and everywhere he looked stood an armored elf. None held weapons at the ready; none presented a shield in defense. They stood still as if waiting for a command.  
"Where is Seraphina?" Spyro asked. The dragon jumped and felt a chill roll down his spine when the spirits turned at once to face the same location.  
"In the city," Anicetus replied as he moved ahead of the other Skylanders to an area of the forest floor that seemed a little too square and perfectly raised over the rest of the ground. That was what the spirits had drawn his attention to and where everyone needed to be to progress. When the prince stepped onto the overgrown platform a dull clank sounded. The Ignitorling looked back to the others and their varying expressions. "It is one of the ancient lifts. I can see the power crystals still pulsing with magic."

"Should we trust it?" Meilyr asked doubtfully.  
"Yes," Hex said as she drifted past him and joined Anicetus on the lift. She turned slowly to look back at the rest of her party as they simply gawked at the platform. "It is safe," Hex sighed in agitation.  
"How can you be so sure?" Crevan asked as he tapped the surface with a clawed toe.  
"Because they told me this is how Seraphina and the others ascended," Hex answered with a finger extended to a group of spirits.

Spyro lowered his head and looked between a few groups of the ethereal figures. They were unnerving to say the least; he wasn't too terribly thrilled to be so surrounded by the dead. "Is it wise to do what they tell us to? I don't know about you but I seem to have a ball of ice sitting on the back of my neck."  
Hex folded her hands on her hips and scowled at the dragon, "Have I ever led you wrong? Have I ever brought harm to you?"  
Spyro steeled his nerves and strode forward with purpose to join her and the prince on the platform.  
"Ah um, you first?" Meilyr motioned Crevan on.  
Crevan stepped up onto the platform and grabbed Meilyr by the arm when he tried to turn away. "For someone not afraid to drink a potion that will turn him into light knows what you sure are skittish around a few glowing elves."  
"They are dead!" Meilyr exclaimed with wide eyes as if that should be what had everyone else worried. Hex only snorted as the lift lurched and began to rise. "Oh light," Meilyr moaned as he sat down with flattened ears. "I swear if I die today I will not let any of you rest, ever!"

With a little bit of coaxing Hex had convinced the other Skylanders to follow her through the dead elven city. Although at the moment it looked anything but dead. Faces looked out at them from doorways and windows alike. The spirits of children ran by giggling and waving to the visitors and their parents only mirrored the friendly gesture. The addition of sound had more than one of the Skylanders listening to the pounding of their own hearts in their ears. Hex was completely at home and seemed amicable even if she still hadn't cracked a smile.

"I've read about Uzern," Spyro said at last, "but nothing ever mentioned _this_."  
"My sister convinced me to come with her once a few years ago and the city was quiet. I find this new myself," Anicetus muttered. A part of him was in awe over it and another part was uneasy. He had seen too many facades in his tenure as both a prince and Skylander to feel at ease around the spirits.  
"Hex, where are they leading us?" Crevan asked. The other Fizzling had taken to walking directly behind him and had such a death grip on Crevan's upper arms that the gremlin thought he might lose them due to lack of circulation.  
"To the other visiting elves and dragons," Hex replied without looking back.  
"Elves, dragons?" Meilyr squeaked. If his math was right it should be one elf and one dragon. Seraphina had left word that she was expecting Windy so who else was she with? Cynder maybe but who was the other elf?  
Hex sighed when she realized everyone was awaiting her explanation. "There is another group of four here, your princess among them."

Spyro shook his head and bound up to stride alongside Hex. "What's going on here? You are perfectly at ease while the rest of us are jumping at shadows."  
"I can't rightly say, Spyro. I just know that we are supposed to meet with the other group and the spirits are very excited to have elves around." Hex furrowed her brow for a moment, "More so they are excited to have undead that aren't evil, a priestess and royalty present. We've set something in motion with our presence here. What I don't know but I _feel_ it is in our favor."  
The purple dragon looked back to the Ignitorling and took his overly orange flames as a sign of caution. If the natives were restless then Spyro was going to be on his guard no matter what Hex said.

"Why is that building glowing like that?" Meilyr asked as he shook Crevan.  
The other gremlin grumbled and managed to pry Meilyr's hands off his arms. "Do you not see the symbol there on the building's front?" Crevan asked. It was hard to make out with all the vines that had grown up over the outside of it but he had seen it. "That is the Temple of Light."  
"Oh lovely," Spyro said sarcastically. "We're going to walk into a glowing temple in a city of the dead without knowing what awaits us."  
"The people we seek," Hex said simply as she crossed the bridge of thickly woven vines that resembled limbs of a tree.

Hex was the first to enter the temple and gasped in surprise. She recognized Cynder and that grin from the plant and dragon hybrid meant it was the real Camo and not a copy sitting with her. The two elves standing in the center of the temple were the surprise though. Hex didn't know who the one was with her hair rolled into a bun but she recognized the other from paintings in the palace of Meir Valan. "The curse is broken?" she asked aloud. Exclamations of surprise made her turn quickly. Alongside Spyro stood three elves wrapped in the same soft blue glow as the interior of the building. She recognized the still armor clad Anicetus by his sword and the ponytail he wore like from the paintings in Meir Valan. The other two elves she knew were Crevan and Meilyr, Meilyr wore metal armor as well with the Reve family crest on his shoulder pauldrons while Crevan was dressed in light leather armor and looked like a normal person at that.

"Ani! I can see you smile!" Meilyr exclaimed happily with his arms up. "And Crevan, I can _see_ you!"  
"Light," Crevan said breathlessly as he put his hands to his face. "Is this for real?" He watched the princess run past him to wrap her arms around her brother.  
"It is so good to see you again," Seraphina said with a kiss to Anicetus's cheek. She gave him another squeeze when he returned her hug before she turned around quickly to wrap Meilyr in a hug and kiss his cheek as well. The dark haired elf look stunned then grinned stupidly as the princess turned around to embrace and kiss Crevan's cheek as well. "So this is the real you," she smiled at the alchemist. "You retain much of your charm as a Pop Fizzling but your smile is better as an elf." She fussed over straightening his hair before she stepped back to look at the three.  
Crevan laughed and dipped into a bow, "Thank you Princess."  
"Oh!" Seraphina exclaimed suddenly, "This is Windy!" she said before motioning to the other elf with them.  
Windy gave a shy smile and tiny wave. "Sup?"

Spyro sat down next to Cynder and Camo as Hex drifted up to them. "Do you know what this is?" the purple dragon asked no one in particular.  
Cynder leaned in towards Spyro and rubbed her snout under his chin. "Seraphina thinks we have triggered something and the Fallen are responding to our presence. She said the only thing different from previous visits to Uzern is the fact she is undead." The dragoness finished nuzzling her companion and sat up straight once again when the elves had finally finished celebrating their return to normal. "I can't help but wonder if bringing other clones here will do the same."  
"It isn't permanent," Hex shook her head. "I can still feel the magic lock that Kaos put upon them." It was strange to see such a profound look of sadness on the sorceress's face. "And she knows," Hex said with a finger extended towards Seraphina. Seraphina was still smiling and exchanging conversation with the other four elves, how Hex could be so sure of her statement was a mystery.

Meilyr's laughter died out suddenly and the mirth faded from his face as he looked behind Seraphina. Others turned to see what had him frozen and were greeted by the visage of an elf dressed in the garb of a priest carrying a taller than normal staff with a fanciful crystal sunburst on the top. Unlike Seraphina's short robe with trousers this priest had one that reached the floor with sleeves that were just as long. His forehead was high and his hair worn long, held back by a leather thong tied around his head to keep his hair behind his ears. His colors were indiscernible as he was the same glowing pale blue of the newly transformed elves. It was only the fact he was transparent that set him apart from them.

"Uzern's Prime High Priest," Seraphina murmured. She lowered herself to one knee before the specter and placed her right fist to her heart as she bowed her head. Stunned the rest of the elves followed suit, even Hex bent her knee after she prompted the dragons to bow their heads.  
_You have been a common sight in Uzern; Seraphina Reve of Meir Valan_, the spirit spoke directly into the minds of the gathered Skylanders. _But this trip you are changed_. The priest paced around in front of the kneeling elves twice before he came to a stop in front of Seraphina once more. _You are close to the person we await._  
"Who?" Seraphina asked as she dared to raise her head. As much as the scholars thought they knew about the Fallen of Uzern, it was still so much of an unknown. Seraphina had scoured the records, hunted down every book she could find and none had ever mentioned speaking with the spirits. No one had ever been able to converse with them to find out why they so clung to the ancient city.

_Uzern's king fell when the drow invaded. His heir passed to Haven and rose to that city's throne. We wait for a descendant of our king to return and release us from our vows to protect the city. Honor bound we may not leave until a king that shares our alignment returns to the city._  
Seraphina's eyes widened, "You mean Kaelin! He is undead now because of the curse. You stay here because of a promise to your king?" Seraphina could hardly believe such a vow would transcend life and death but she couldn't say it wasn't possible. More to the point; without Kaos's curse the chances of an undead king that shared the blood of Uzern was nearly impossible.  
_When we fell we sought to continue to protect our loved ones that yet lived. As time has passed more and more of those survivors have left this world for the next. We would like to join them but without a king to release us from the vow we made it is not possible for us to follow them. Make no mistake,_ he said while looking back to Hex, _the king did not force this vow upon us. It was our choosing to make it and without his awareness of it how could he release us from it?_ The High Priest began to walk again, this time he rounded the elves in the front and headed towards Hex and the three dragons. _The elfwood yearns for elves to return to it and while we are here they will not._ The ghostly priest studied the Cores before him and nodded to himself. _It is good to see those from other lands venture into our haunted woods. I ask nothing of you other than to tell the story I have just relayed to you. If we can be freed from what binds us here and the elves return then we will have fulfilled our promise to both king and elfwood._

"What, what do you want us to do to help release you?" Spyro dared to ask.  
The spirit smiled at the young dragon,_ That is not a task for you, Spyro Leader of the Skylanders and Dragon of Legend. I would like to offer that task to another and without asking I know she has already accepted. You have already been tasked with leading the Skylanders against all that would so threaten our world and those beyond it._ The spirit moved next to Hex and Cynder before he gave them a bow of respect, _The plight you share can be reversed. The magic exists to undo what the undead dragon Malefor has done. It is as old as time itself and lies hidden in ancient tomes tucked away in forgotten cities. Perseverance will grant you the knowledge you seek, Cynder the Spring of Hope and Hex the Protector of Casters._

Finally the spirit stood in front of Camo. _The woods rejoice with your arrival, young Philanthropist of Life. Like the druids of so long ago you are infused with the power to give life to flora and cultivate it. The elfwood is finally able to heal its loneliness with your guidance. Never forget to tend the sick or ailing land in your travels and keep those like you vigilant as well in the task entrusted to them._ The spirit looked over the dragons and Hex one last time before he drifted back to the center of the room and his place in front of Seraphina. _Bring Kaelin here, as heir to Uzern and of the undead element he can release us and allow us to finally rejoin the loved ones that have passed on without us. I am sorry that we cannot offer anything substantial in return. Make the effort to resettle Uzern; the old city will stand as it is now. New growth and new dwellings for the elves will grant the elfwood's wish while leaving the old city untouched will satisfy the elves' need for a tomb and monument to the past._

Just as soon as it had happened the spirits had vanished, the city was once again quiet and dark save for the faint glow from the lichen that suddenly filled the interior of the temple. A great groan came from Anicetus and those near him turned their gazes towards the soft orange glow of his fire. He was an Ignitorling once again.  
"Just when I thought I could visit my father with pride," Meilyr said sadly. His shoulders had slumped and his blue ears were drooping again while he turned his large yellow eyes to his clawed paws.  
Crevan looked up to Seraphina and Windy, both returned to their status as copies as well. Windy was looking towards Meilyr with an expression of profound sympathy and met eyes with Crevan before the Whirlwindling offered him a sad smile.

Seraphina straightened up wordlessly, once again her feet hovered above the ground and the ever present purple mist rolled out from under them. Her face was oddly calm and she tucked her white staff into the crook of her left arm before she held up her right hand and a fireball bloomed in it. There were multiple gasps before Seraphina held up her left hand and formed a ball of ice in it. She released both elements and took her staff in hand once more. "I did not lose everything. We can break this curse. Kaos did not make it irreversible," she said with a determined set to her features.

"That was _not_ magic," Hex was the first to say.  
"She is psionic," Anicetus laughed. "As are I and our sister Eloryn. The real reason we were so readily accepted into the Skylanders. Part of Tour's best kept secret."  
"Psionics are rare," Cynder said in surprise. "The forgotten elementals, they're called. One that is different in every person that wields it." She looked from the princess to prince wondering what his abilities might be.  
Magic used the life force of Skylands to accomplish fantastic feats, psionics used their own willpower to manipulate objects and cause reactions. A psionic's power was limited by their imagination and desire to accomplish tasks so a person with the right mindset could be immensely powerful. Psionics were a new game altogether and one could be utilized by Kaos for mind control purposes. Magic could counter most anything a psionic did except their skill in compulsion. That made the controlled mind immune to magical attempts to free it. The thought sent a chill down Cynder's spine that made her visibly shiver. Luckily only the strongest minds were capable of overpowering the will of others. Just what had the prince meant by _part_ of Tour's best kept secret?

An excited laugh from Spyro drew attention back to him; the dragon had apparently formed a ball of ice himself and was rolling it back and forth with a grinning Camo. "Whatever happened freed my other elements from the lock Kaos had placed on them. I am truly a purple dragon now; I don't have to rely on fire alone."  
Cynder too looked excited as the possibilities it unlocked bloomed behind her eyes. That would mean her own extra abilities, the only useful things she had gotten from Malefor, were now available in her arsenal. She and Spyro could now give Kaos something to fear.  
"Imma philly, philantiny. Um, phylum. What the dead dude said! How cool is that word, I can't even pronounce it!" Camo laughed.  
"I bet you don't even know what that word means," Cynder said with the roll of her eyes.  
Camo shrugged, "So? I can still think it sounds awesome."  
"This is the cheese!" Windy said as she bounced around excitedly. "Oh won't Kaos be surprised when we come back full force!" She stopped suddenly and gave Seraphina a hard look, "And _someone_ is going to haveta explain what in Skylands a psionic is."

Hope had blossomed fully on Hex's face for the first time in forever. She turned quickly to Seraphina and bowed to the Hexling. "Forgive me," she said. "I was wrong to slander you so and even then I understood my error. Had I never met you I would not have come here. I would not have had hope restored about returning to how I used to be before my…accident. Without your companionship the hope of reversing what Kaos has done to _all_ Skylanders wouldn't have become so solid. I wish we had met under different circumstances and I am ashamed for how I took from you the pride you are entitled to hold as a Skylander."  
Anicetus's head was turned to his sister as was the gaze of nearly everyone else present. "I accept, Hex. And I forgive you. The slate is clean. It does not make what happened okay or forgotten but it is forgiven." Seraphina held a hand out to Hex.  
Anicetus gave a nod to Hex when she glanced to him, "My sister is pleased and accepting and so am I."  
Hesitantly the Core took Seraphina's outstretched hand and looked up with a smile. A true and genuine smile. "Thank you, priestess," Hex said as if some tremendous weight had been lifted off her shoulders.


	16. The Unexpected

**The Unexpected**

The four Cores decided to take their leave once the party had descended again to the forest floor under the city of Uzern. The hope that the curse could be reversed was rekindled and the will to find cures for the undead plague that had been forced upon Cynder and Hex had returned. The request that the spirit priest had made was kept in mind but Hex had decided that the invitation should be for the elves of Tour rather than those unfamiliar with the history of Uzern. She only had to wait until she had a moment of the others' time to explain her reasoning.

"You know what?" Windy said with a big grin, "I think the three of you are very handsome elves," she chirped happily to the Fizzlings and Ignitorling. "Especially you, Crevan," she said before she bound off to join Seraphina ahead of the group. Crevan would have turned red if possible, to be praised so publicly was new to him.  
Meilyr watched the Whirlwindling's bouncing tail as she quite literally pranced alongside Seraphina chattering away animatedly. "Well she seems to have rather enjoyed herself back there."  
"I still have not gotten a chance to really speak to her and get to know her," Anicetus said with a tone that said he was amused.  
"She's a handful," Meilyr sighed in an exasperated way. He grinned suddenly and elbowed Crevan as he thought about Windy's compliment to the other Fizzling, "Just let the picture sink in for a moment: a Whirlwindling and a Pop Fizzling. Now tell me that does not make you laugh just as much as wonder how."  
"At the risk of giving you the wrong idea, let the poor lass be!" Crevan sighed. Meilyr laughed in boyish glee before he held his massive paws up and formed a heart shape. Crevan rolled his eyes and waved it off.  
"And that," Anicetus laughed, "is more of Meilyr's charm. It is refreshing to see him tease a new target. Thank you for that, Crevan."  
"Delighted," the other Fizzling said in a tone that was anything but. "Keep in mind I am rather older than Windy when you tease," Crevan said in all seriousness to Meilyr.

"Okay, start talking missy! What's a psionic?" Windy asked when she had finally finished gushing over the other events of Uzern.  
The princess smirked and gave a chuckle. "Very well, first of all you know that the essence of all magic is quicksilver also known as mana depending on what region you are from, correct?" She paused and waited for Windy's confirming nod. "Quicksilver, mana is the power source for all magic. It is what those that channel reach out and touch in order to cast spells. Psionics do not have a pool like that. The essence a psionic relies upon is that of the mind; their _own_ minds. Psionics must rely upon their own strength and nothing else to utilize their skills. This means that continual use of my psionics is much like trying to run all day long or climb a mountain. It is going to tire me at some point. We can eventually extend our stamina, so to speak, by continually taking ourselves to exhaustion. The recovery period is quite a while however. I made myself deathly ill for nearly a week once in my determination to prove I was as strong as any mage."  
"Did it work?" Windy asked, almost afraid of the answer.  
"It did but I would not do it again."

"So is that what you use to cast your Hexling spells? Psionics I mean," Windy inquired with the tilt of her head.  
"No, I touch mana for that. My psionics were locked away from me until today. I did not understand why either, I still do not." Seraphina watched Windy nod, obviously not understanding what she meant. "You see, when we were cursed we retained our minds while our bodies and abilities alone changed. Well psionics are of the mind so it does not make sense that I would lose them while still retaining my memories and sense of self."  
"Oh, _now_ I get it!" Windy piped up. "That is wonk," she said while wrinkling her nose up. "Does every elf in Tour have psionics?"  
The princess shook her head and glanced back to the three men of their party. "Meilyr does not and neither does Crevan. The skill so far has been found only in me, my siblings and Kaelin. The gargoyles of Tour are quite apt at it however." Seraphina had to stop hovering when Windy grinded to a halt behind her.  
"Gargoyles? I thought they were all gone!" she said in amazement. "I used to hear old myths about them and their clan wars. I didn't think there were any left in Skylands!"  
"Then my friend, we have another destination to visit at some point."

Windy was still bouncing around in excitement as the group of Skylanders approached the walls of Meir Valan. "The ghosts weren't that bad after all. I just have never been around any before, you know?" She sat down at last with a large grin and looked around the group of people she had met not that long ago. It was about time she introduced them to some of Krystal's other Skylanders. Camo was just the first, when he found out where she was going and who she had been with he had more or less invited himself along. Now Windy felt confident she could bring others along since apparently the issue with Hex had been resolved.  
The mood though had changed and slowly Windy's smile faded when she realized the other Skylanders had fallen silent. She let her ears droop and once again looked around at the faces of her newest friends. Crevan caught her eye and tilted his head in indication that she should follow him.

Carefully Windy padded after Crevan. The Pop Fizzling didn't lead her too far from the others but did give them a wide enough berth so he could speak quietly with the Whirlwindling. "I know you are excited over what you just saw and would like to discuss it further and I apologize for the sudden lack of enthusiasm."  
"It's about Teranika and Rafer, isn't it?" Windy had never had the chance to meet them herself but had picked up enough to know Teranika was a cousin to Seraphina and Rafer was a sort-of cousin for Meilyr.  
"Yes and no," Crevan said as he watched the trio begin to speak silently themselves. "What happened in Uzern is going to cause ripples. The Cores will no doubt talk about what they saw and learned. As more Skylanders hear of it there will be an influx of travel here to Meir Valan and in turn Uzern."

"Oh," Windy gasped in realization. An enormous pilgrimage to the elven holy city could lead to its ruination. There would be those expecting the city to do for them what it had for Spyro, Seraphina and possibly Anicetus even though Windy had no idea what had changed for the prince. Stories would be warped to include a curse breaker. "I get it. What happened was both very good and very bad."  
"If Kaos gets wind of it," Crevan trailed off with a wave.  
"I am so sorry," Windy said as she nearly shrunk in on herself. And there she was planning to bring in more of her friends to see the city. Well she could still bring them but hopefully Uzern could be left out of it.

Crevan offered her a soft smile, "There is nothing to be sorry about Windy. No one rightly thought about the repercussions at the moment. We were all swept away by the wonder. What happens will have to be dealt with. I suspect the elven kingdoms of Tour will hold council to discuss protocol and procedure for handling the tourism. Unless our friends reach out to Eon first and ask for discretion to be used on retelling the story." Crevan glanced back to the rest of his group. "Though I suspect in their minds they are more concerned with the whereabouts of their two missing companions."  
"If it means anything to you I won't say a thing about our transformation. I think," the Whirlwindling paused and thought hard about what she was going to say. "I think I _like_ my new form better. I don't know if I want to be an elf again."  
Crevan blinked at her in surprise, she would be the first he had ever spoken to that had said such a thing. Could the curse be reversed on a per-person basis? The Fizzling looked back to the others of their party; that would be a question for another time. First they had to find the way to reverse what Kaos had done and then they would learn how it worked.

Windy's jaw took a determined set as she looked back to the two royal figures and the prince's personal guard. "Never mind that curse thing for now. I say we start looking for those two missing Skylanders. Can Beth open another portal for us to a hub?"  
"Excellent idea," Crevan clapped. "We shall pitch the idea and allow our friends to ready themselves for travel again."  
"Right," Windy gave a firm nod and let her ears relax.

Morwen loved the queen's garden, she had begun to use it the same way her aunt had – as a means to escape people and situations. Morwen had traveled further into the lovingly tended area to sit at a wooden bench near a pond that was populated with some of the queen's exotic birds. They were large and flightless and warbled softly as they strutted by the silent elf. Morwen hardly saw them or heard them call to one another. She was still thinking about her sister, Teranika. What kind of homecoming was Eloryn going to get now?  
"I am sorry Elo, but now that you are back we have lost Teranika and Rafer," Morwen snorted aloud. She shook her head and cradled it in upturned palms. What a fine welcome that would be indeed. Morwen had never been so angry with a Portal Master than she was with Sam at that moment. How _dare_ he toy with lives like that!

"Morwen?"  
The dark haired lady in waiting sat up straight and dabbed at her moist eyes. She was no longer bawling like she had when she first heard the news but still a tear would escape here and there. "By the pond," she answered Amara more hoarsely than she had intended. A moment later and her wine haired cousin appeared at her side.  
"Is there news?" Morwen asked.  
Amara shook her head, "Not yet. They have only just returned from Uzern."  
"Why are they not looking for Teranika and Rafer yet?" Morwen asked in irritation. She balled her hands into fists and ground them on the tops of her thighs.  
The other lady sighed and put an arm around Teranika's younger sister. "All they can do right now is check Sky Arc for news. They have spent years searching for one another, Morwen. They will find her and need time to adjust to the shock. They have not forgotten."  
"Why did Uncle not have them install a terminal here with access to the network, we could certainly use it too could we not? I cannot see it being limited to only Skylanders especially if no one else joined from a Skylander's friends and family. How would they get information otherwise?"

Amara took a moment to think about her answer, "We are so far from the hubs perhaps to move the data this far out would require more than just a terminal."  
Morwen scowled and shook her head vehemently. "The king and queen can dip into their coffers to bring everything needed this way. It would benefit others as well," the distraught lady pointed out.  
"I know," Amara sighed. If she tried to explain things Morwen would keep pointing out flaws and Amara really didn't want to get her that worked up. Wine colored hair cascaded over Morwen's shoulder as Amara rest her head against her cousin's. No more words were exchanged and the two sat in silence and watched the strutting of the queen's birds.

The most common destination for the Core Skylanders was Eon's island and citadel. That day was no different with a plethora of Cores and even a few copies thrown into the mix milling around in the fields beyond the Grandmaster's dwelling. In the distance and situated on another island was the bright pillar of light that marked the heart of Skylands, the Core of Light. The portal that had brought the four Cores from Uzern had long ago closed and the group was just now separating after holding council over their experiences in the ancient elven city.

Spyro watched Camo bound off in one direction while Hex took another. The purple dragon sighed heavily; hopefully everyone understood Hex's insight on what had happened. Spyro himself really wanted to talk about the elven city and show off his reclaimed elemental powers but the sorceress had made a very valid point. It wasn't that they were hoarding a secret that could benefit all Skylanders to themselves; they were protecting ruins that held a special significance to the elves of Tour. For all her bluster over the royal family Hex did still want to protect them from the curiosity of visitors. Or perhaps she was more worried about the spirits of Uzern, it was obvious there was a bond formed between them and the other undead Spyro had traveled with. There was also the fact that if Kaos thought something on Tour could undo what he had done then the continent would be besieged and Spyro didn't want that looming over his head.

"Well I can see you're bubbling with excitement. I suggest speaking about it to those that were there and only us," Cynder reminded Spyro of her presence by saying.  
The purple dragon lowered his head and hunched his shoulders almost as if Cynder had taken a hard tone with him that he wanted to look defiant for. "How do you keep to yourself such an amazing change of events?" Spyro looked around him quickly before he straightened his posture again. "I mean, Cynder, we were just _shown_ that there are ways to get around Kaos's curses. Doesn't it inspire you to start looking for a way to fix it for every Skylander? And what about the promise made to you and Hex about a cure for your undead…ness?"  
Cynder leaned in to nuzzle Spyro gently again. "My thoughts race at the hope of restoring me to how I was before all these misfortunes befell me. I can still search, so can Hex. All we need to do is find one instance of it mentioned somewhere and that information can be made public for all the others, Skylander or not there are many who had this curse forced upon them. As for the cure to our banishment and our copies we've been searching for the answer to that since the beginning, right? Keep this lead to ourselves, if it can be called a lead. The next one can be shared to restore hope. Hex is right though; Uzern will be seen as an instant fix and who knows what kind of impact thousands of Skylanders visiting it will have."

Spyro returned Cynder's nuzzle at last and sighed. "At least Eon should be informed."  
"Of course, his wisdom may offer insight," Cynder agreed. She moved in closer to press her shoulder against his and enjoyed the silence that followed.  
Eon would probably advise Spyro and Cynder to keep their unlocked abilities quiet for a little while longer. That frustrated Spyro but he trusted Eon. When the Portal Master said the time was right then Spyro would reveal his regained power. The purple dragon laughed suddenly and shook his head, "And to think all of this happened because the princess decided to join Ignitor's troll vanquishing force."  
"Every tale has a beginning," Cynder smirked before she strode off towards Eon's citadel.  
"And an end," Spyro murmured to himself. Where would this one end?

It was midafternoon by the time the group of five Skylanders had finally departed Meir Valan. It was only after Seraphina and Anicetus themselves had personally traveled to the other major elven kingdoms of Tour to speak of the events in Uzern had they been given leave by their parents. The other rulers knew now and between them the council would continue. It had been good to see faces Seraphina hadn't seen in a while. King Faolan Young of Hawk Ridge offered memories of happier times and managed to bring laughter to the meeting by reminding Seraphina of the pranks she used to play on him when they were children.

Reinstated Queen Elanniah Alistair of Haven made Seraphina feel at home by welcoming her into the palace as if she were returning home. Then there was Ceron, Kaelin's brother. While not in direct line for the throne he had refused the crown when Kaelin was banished along with the other Skylanders and left the kingdom in his mother's capable hands. It had been good to see them both, one day they would be Seraphina's extended family. That fact only reminded Seraphina that she had one more day, maybe two before she could see Kaelin and Galvin again. And the morrow should bring her sister home at last. The good was balancing the bad quite nicely and Seraphina knew that her cousin and oldest friend would be found soon enough.  
"Where to first?" Meilyr asked with a stretch as soon as the prince and princess rejoined him, Crevan and Windy. Meilyr felt like he had been lethargic for most of the day despite their very eventful morning and early afternoon.  
"Never-sleep Nexus," Seraphina replied with a tap of her staff against the dirt. "I have found all of you through it so I am going to utilize it again to find our friends."

As always the hub was a bustling port of call. Copies of Cores mingled with the non-Skylander residents and life moved at a brisk pace. It was a lot like Meir Valan actually, the only difference was the crowds were ever changing with just as many people leaving as arriving.  
"You know these hubs are a little easier to handle on your own, no worries of losing sight of friends," Windy groaned when her foot was stepped on for the third time by an oblivious stranger. She shook out her paw and decided to loosen up her wings in an effort to make herself look bigger and get a wider berth from the crowd. It worked and Windy pranced along happily without further foot stomping.  
"I know," Seraphina replied as she swayed around people flowing past her with hardly a notice. She had a death grip on her staff; there was no way she was going to lose that. "But if we all look at once we will get information faster. Let me look up Niall and see if he has made an appearance yet."  
"I call Teranika," Anicetus said. He had no trouble with the crowd, no one wanted to get burned and they moved out of his way automatically. That caused him to walk with an unconscious strut that seemed amusingly out of place next to his companion's struggles.  
"How do you spell 'Kaelin' and I'll look him up," Windy offered.  
"I will look up Rafer and you can search for Galvin," Meilyr told Crevan.  
"And Eloryn?" the second Fizzling asked.  
"Sean will let me know when she has arrived. I am confident about her whereabouts," Seraphina said with a glance over her shoulder to Crevan.

It didn't take long at all to hit up the profiles of all the non-present Skylanders the party was looking for. Message boxes were empty; there had been no changes there either. It was worth a shot even if Seraphina was more than a little crestfallen over it. Still she knew if she hadn't tried the thought would haunt her for a while. If it hadn't been for Windy reminding them that no one had eaten since breakfast the group might have moved on. No one could reach their Portal Master at the moment so it was determined that their pace would need to slow.

"So, I was thinking," Windy said after swallowing a mouthful of some form of fried food, "that I wanted to introduce you guys to some of my crew. I wanna help you do whatever it is that we're gonna end up doing."  
Meilyr rest an elbow on the table and pointed at Windy with a squint, "You think you can handle our adventures?"  
"Psh," the Whirlwindling rolled her eyes. "I'm a Skylander, hello!"  
"I say we induct her and her friends with a potions game," Meilyr grinned. He yelped not long after when Anicetus smacked him upside the head and Crevan gave him a flat look and shake of the head. "Well we could mix for them!" he said in his defense.  
"No, Meilyr," Seraphina said firmly. "You know how uneasy that game makes me feel when the two of you play it. I will not let you involve others. What did you think of it Crevan?" the princess turned to the other Fizzling.  
"Uh," he replied with a shrug.

Seraphina harrumphed and shook her head. Oh no, she was actually amused but for Windy's sake she wanted to keep the Whirlwindling _out_ of the game. "Tell me about your friends. I would hate to involve them in our own personal struggles but I will leave the decision to you and them."  
"Well for one they're older and more experienced than me," Windy nodded as she shifted on her stool and stretched her neck out to take a drink from her bowl. "My closest friends are Quartz a Sonic Boomling, Roxanne a Flashwingling and Sprint the Stealth Elfling."  
"Roxanne sounds like a good one," Anicetus nodded.  
"You have not even heard a thing about her besides her name," Crevan rolled his eyes. "What are you basing this on?"  
"Eloryn," Meilyr answered while pushing around a bit of bread in gravy on his plate. "If I know Eloryn she _hates_ her new form. Having someone else that shares it will help her cope."

"Why would she hate it?" Windy scoffed. "Flying is so honkin' bruce it ain't funny!"  
Seraphina held her hand up, "Eloryn is a lady of, ah, 'delicate' sensibilities. She was very particular about her hair, nails and clothing. Being a Flashwingling has robbed her of things she prided herself on. And I think Flashwing is a flightless dragon despite her wings." Seraphina too knew another Flashwingling that might help but she refrained from mentioning it as she didn't want Windy to feel as if she was pushing her friends off.  
Windy rolled her eyes, "She can still accessorize." The Whirlwindling held up the tail of her red scarf and pointed to the moonstone gem she had received in Meir Valan.  
"I would have thought her happy with being a _gem_ dragon," Crevan shrugged.  
"Yeah, it would have made sense would it not?" Anicetus asked his sister. "Eloryn always did love her gems."  
Seraphina rest an elbow on the table then set her chin in the upturned palm; she had forgone eating along with Anicetus and had no plate in the way. "She is probably upset that her gems are _amethyst_ and not _sapphire_ or some other blue."

"Hey!" Meilyr grinned widely, "Crevan and I are blue. Do you think she will take a liking to one of us?" He waggled his eyebrows and puffed his chest out proudly.  
Seraphina shared a look with Anicetus before the two started to roll with laughter. Meilyr couldn't help but join in as well; Eloryn already thought he was a toad so of course she wouldn't suddenly like him because of his color. Other occupants in the dinner had turned to watch the Skylanders and it was an embarrassed Windy that calmed the laughing trio down at last.  
"I am sorry," Seraphina snickered one last time before she composed herself. "If you knew Eloryn the way we do then you would have found that just as hilarious. I must warn you though," Seraphina sighed and instantly became serious again, "Eloryn can be a little intense. While Anicetus has his moments," she began.  
"Hey," the prince warned.  
"Eloryn can be hard to put up with right from the start."  
"I can handle her," Windy said with a sniff. She looked to Crevan who only nodded along slowly. He had heard stories but was determined to have an open mind.

Exclamations of surprise erupted from the dinner's other patrons when a glowing portal opened unexpectedly next to the table of Skylanders. An enormous suit of black armor topped by one giant, winged eyeball was suddenly standing next to them.  
"What the," one voice from the Eye-Brawling said.  
"Oh this is quaint," another voice also from the Eye-Brawling said. Like Fright Rider Eye-Brawl were in fact two separate entities. Every Eye-Brawling out there was made up of two different Skylanders, one for the headless giant's body and the other the flying eyeball. The duo was always close friends or in some cases siblings or other familial relationships. In this case it was twin brothers, blue dragons before the change.  
"Kuval, Deseronto!" Seraphina gasped. The last time Sean sent a Skylander her way it was with news of Eloryn. The princess had dared to hope this time bore news of Kaelin and Galvin. She nearly climbed over her brother to get out of the circular booth they had been seated at. Anicetus turned his head to watch her and refused to move. Finally the Hexling decided to just stand on the seat with her arms folded across her chest. It was a very unlady-like gesture and definitely not normal behavior for a princess.

The giant's body shook with laughter as the eye spoke to her, "So good to see you too little lady!" Deseronto said happily.  
"We've got news for you," Kuval said once he had wrangled his mirth and physically lifted Seraphina up and out of the booth. "And we're inviting all your friends along too. Sean was very explicit about it." The giant waved them on towards the Portal.  
Seraphina bounced happily and looked every bit the child at winter solstice. "Come!" she chirped to them.

Deseronto separated himself from his brother and hovered around the table to get up close and personal with the other Skylanders. He knew he was making them uncomfortable but the undead eyeball rather enjoyed that aspect of his cursed form. "I think your group is unbalanced. I see only one other girl!" he proclaimed before settling back on the shoulders of his brother.  
"Warn me when you want to take off like that," Kuval said sourly. "I can't see a thing when you pop off."  
"How _do_ you see without a head?" Meilyr asked.  
"Hey," Kuval shrugged, "I don't know how it works. How can I talk without a head? Who really cares anyway? I can do both and that's good enough for me. Of course," he muttered before tapping his brother, "I can't see when he flies off. Only when we're together."  
"Ow! Tap hard enough Sir Pointy Finger?" Deseronto grumbled.  
"Well," Windy prompted before she vanished under the table and caused the Fizzlings to jump as she shimmied past their feet to pop up next to the portal. "What are you guys waiting for? Let's see this surprise!"

Sean's island was fairly full at the moment; many of his Skylanders were milling about and exchanging stories. They stopped to greet Seraphina when she returned alongside the twins Kuval and Deseronto.  
"You're a sight for sore eyes," Herc the Crusherling laughed as he kneeled down beside the princess and accepted her hug. "We thought you had forgotten about us. Haven't seen you in nearly a week!"  
"You are part of my extended family, how could I forget about you?" the Hexling smiled back.  
"Sean's in the lair," Herc said as he stood back up. "He's showing our newest member around." The giant waved to the other Skylanders that all stared at him wordlessly. "Your friends aren't much for conversation I see."  
Seraphina smiled, "Right now no. They are the strangers here after all. It is good to see you again, Herc."  
"Don't forget to visit us more often!"  
"I did," Seraphina replied as she hovered backwards, "You were not around when I stopped in to see the new lair. Boogies led me around."  
"Ah, little scamp's been in and out himself."

Seraphina's anxiety grew as she neared the lair, _a_ new member Herc had alluded to. So that meant it wasn't Kaelin and Galvin unless they had been separated. Could Sean have found Teranika or Rafer? Seraphina had just found out herself and had not yet even informed Sean but it _was_ possible.  
Kuval clapped suddenly and the ring of metal on metal startled more than just Seraphina's group. "You're good?" he asked.  
"Cuz we kinda got plans and all," Deseronto added.  
"Yes," Kuval bowed. "So it was good to see you again. Hopefully you'll remember to visit us poor sods once in a while."  
Seraphina bowed to the brothers, "Of course I will visit. You all have helped me through the darkest days following the return."  
"Heh, yeah. That does kinda form a bond don't it?" Deseronto asked. "All my peeps, right here on this island. I know you have my back." He rolled forward slightly, be it a representation of a nod or bow was unknown.  
"Thank you," Seraphina smiled to them. Kuval gave a wave of a hand and Deseronto did the same with a wing before they trotted off to the balloons. Some Skylanders still preferred to travel that way, particularly if Sean hadn't already opened a portal for a Skylander to return from any given location.

The inside of the lair was quiet, Nikki, Sean's first Flashwingling, had just exited with a quick smile to Seraphina and curious look to her entourage.  
"You know," Windy said with a backwards glance to the closing door, "You have a lot of friends here. I bet you could find a lot of help with things."  
"I have thought to ask but everyone has their own agenda and many are still searching for loved ones. I should offer _my_ aid," Seraphina replied. She stopped in the common room and looked around, where to start looking?  
"Tell you what," Meilyr said as he rubbed his hands together and made way for the kitchen, "You can come get me when you find this surprise. I never did get desert."  
"Ugh, you and sweets," Anicetus groaned.  
"Hey, that is the best part of the meal! You have to earn it though and I did, just like a big boy!" The Fizzling replied with a wave as he walked off.  
"He makes a good point. We should wait here for now. When you meet up with whoever it is you can bring them back," Crevan said. "We will look silly wandering about the building as a group."  
Windy looked between Crevan and Anicetus before she turned her head to the kitchen, "Dibs on any cookies!" she called out for Meilyr's benefit before bouncing off to join him.

As calm as she had appeared in the common room, Seraphina was anything but now. She raced down halls as she strained to hear anything that would let her know where Sean and this mystery guest were. She didn't even know what floor he was on! Maybe Seraphina would have been better sitting with the others in the common room and waiting. In fact, Sean could have already gone back that way. Seraphina was in the hall that held her room; it had seemed like a good place to start as there were empty rooms. But it seemed her idea would bear no fruit. Just when she had turned around to head back towards the stairs a door opened two down from hers.  
"I can ask your sister to help you bring personal effects in if you would like," Sean was saying to someone.  
"Personal effects," the other voice snorted, "What use would I have for anything like this?"

_Eloryn!_ Seraphina gasped to herself. She had never even thought it would be her sister, she wasn't supposed to arrive until tomorrow! The Hexling dashed towards the open door and rounded it fast enough to slip right through Sean's holographic image. "Elo!" she cried happily before she flung her arms around the Flashwingling's neck.  
Eloryn danced around in surprise from the sudden embrace and held her chin up so the amethyst horns that covered the back of her head wouldn't scratch the Hexling's cheek. "Sean said you were back home, now you are here just like that." All she could see at the moment was the top of Seraphina's white haired head.

"A portal, Elo," Seraphina laughed as she pulled back and smiled at her sister. "We were actually sitting in a dinner then Kuval and Deseronto arrived to hail me."  
"Kuval and Deseronto?" Eloryn asked in confusion.  
"An Eye-Brawling," Seraphina said with a glance back to Sean, "New friends for you."  
Eloryn shook her head, "I do not need new friends. I have all my old friends. I want to see them. Now." She picked up her front paws and placed them back down in an antsy sort of shifting movement.  
"Anicetus and Meilyr are downstairs," Seraphina said as she stepped around the silent figure of Sean. "Along with two others that have been with us for a while. Windy the Whirlwindling and Crevan the Pop Fizzling."  
"Teranika, Rafer, Galvin and Kaelin?" Eloryn asked.  
Seraphina's smile faltered and fell away. "Right after Ani and I returned home from visiting you yesterday we heard news that Sam, the Portal Master Tera and Rafer share, had decided he no longer wanted to be a Portal Master. He," Seraphina paused, it was really hard to repeat the news, "he separated them and sent them away. We do not know where they are anymore." She nearly lost it then and had to blink back the sting of tears. She wanted to look strong for her sister; Eloryn had just arrived and didn't need to see her big sister fall to pieces.

"Oh my god," Sean said at last. "Oh Seraphina, I am so sorry. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to find them." He looked between the two sisters. Seraphina gave him the most pitiful look he had ever seen and Eloryn still looked disgruntled with a hint of sorrow now.  
"I know you will Sean," Seraphina said.  
"I want to see Anicetus," Eloryn reminded them of her request. "And Meilyr. This Windy and Crevan can wait."  
Sean stepped aside with a nod; Stephen hadn't been exaggerating when he said Eloryn was demanding. In the back of Sean's mind he was thinking it was the curse of the middle child, something his father always talked about since Sean was a middle child himself. The Portal Master hoped he didn't come off as strongly as Eloryn.

"Thank you, Sean," Seraphina turned to him as soon as she had left the room. Eloryn continued to walk on without her and most likely wouldn't wait. "Thank you for everything."  
Sean gave the Hexling a smile and glanced back to Eloryn's departing frame. He could already see her wanting to remain in Meir Valan and quite frankly Sean couldn't blame her for wanting to be home. He just wished she were a little more upbeat. "I promise to look for Teranika and Rafer and I will attempt to find a way to move Kaelin and Galvin here as well."  
"I know where their Portal Master's island is," Seraphina nodded. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, "By the end of the week we should be able to meet back up. Two more mornings."  
"Two more mornings," Sean smirked.

Seraphina was still talking to the Portal Master. Eloryn didn't want to stay on the island with all the other Skylanders he had acquired. Eloryn didn't like the setup one bit, she preferred Eon. He let the Skylanders go their own way and would assemble them when the time came. The new way of things had Skylanders tied so very closely to their new Portal Masters and was dependent upon them for everything. Eloryn liked her freedom and independence. She had a room in the palace of Meir Valan; she didn't want one with Sean's motley crew.

The Flashwingling shook her head as she climbed down the stairwell. Her claws clicked on the steel staircase, Sean had attempted to cover the structure with a rug runner but Eloryn's claws still rang against it nonetheless. The light in the stairwell passed through the gems that adorned her and their multiple facets sprayed the walls with spots of brilliantly intense light. If Eloryn had been wearing jewelry that caused such an effect she would have been happy. Instead she scowled at the traveling flecks of light that followed her and tried to minimize them by tucking her wings in closer to her body. Her wings, oh Eloryn had shared her sister's dream of flying but this was _not_ what the younger princess had wanted.

Several flights of stairs later Eloryn had finally reached the ground floor. She walked through the door and found herself in the common room again. Sitting in a chair made specifically for heavier frames and unique builds was an Ignitorling thumbing through a magazine. Eloryn recognized him as her brother by his voice when he spoke to the Pop Fizzling standing at a bookcase with his back to her. Eloryn remained where she was; she wanted them to see her. She could hear Meilyr in another room talking about food and an unfamiliar female voice was daring him to add more to whatever he was doing.  
"Light Elo, go say hello," Seraphina startled Eloryn with her sudden appearance. The younger princess hadn't even heard her approach.  
Eloryn looked behind her and was secretly relieved to not see Sean. The Portal Master had done all he needed in Eloryn's mind, he could leave her alone now. "That is Crevan?" she asked with a nod towards the Fizzling. "He sounds like someone from home."  
Seraphina rolled her eyes; of course Eloryn would notice that first thing. "He is from Hawk Ridge. An alchemist in King Faolan's army. I think you will find him an acceptable companion."

"Then that giggling voice I hear must be Windy." Eloryn sounded bored and still hadn't moved from near the stairs. "She sounds young." The Flashwingling shook her head and gave a sniff. She sounded like Aelwen suddenly.  
"You were that age too once, Eloryn. Quit making yourself sound twice your age," Seraphina told her younger sister. Why was she so determined to be in a bad mood? Seraphina knew how to nip it in the bud though. "You sound like Aelwen. I was not aware you missed her that much."  
Eloryn's head whipped around quickly, "I am nothing like her!" she whined. _That_ was more like the Eloryn Seraphina knew.

"Elo!" Anicetus called brightly when he heard her whine and realized she was standing in the room. "Come, come!" he waved her over to where he was now standing with Crevan. "Meet Crevan Mikken from Hawk Ridge!"  
"Elo?" Meilyr echoed from the kitchen before his head popped out the door. He held some strange concoction in a bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other. "Eloryn!" he said brightly. The Fizzling ducked back into the kitchen and re-emerged with nothing in his hands as he raced up to the princess with open arms.  
Eloryn stopped him in his tracks by shielding herself with a wing. "No, just no. What _are_ you Meilyr?" she asked in disgust.  
"Well I am not going to bite," he replied with his ears sticking straight up and quivering. "It is good to see you, that is all."  
"This is not _me_," Eloryn snapped. "Look at me! Look!" she said as she reared up tall and thrust her scaled chest outward. "I have _scales_. I took better care of my skin than this, what is this nightmare thrust upon me?"

"Oh, don't tell me we have another Helen on our hands," Windy said darkly as she emerged from the kitchen. "Because that would be beyond wonk."  
"No Windy, we do not," Seraphina answered before she laid a hand on one of Eloryn's be-gemmed wings. "Come with me, right now," she said in a low but firm voice.  
"Unless you can change things I see no purpose. Let me speak my mind here," Eloryn snapped back and jerked her wing away. It made an awful grinding sound as it scraped Anicetus's armor and the Ignitorling groaned in pain before he stepped away. "Oh Ani! I am so sorry!" she gasped suddenly with wide eyes. "I did not mean, I am sorry!" The dragon's eyes beaded just barely with tears before she blinked them away.

Crevan and Meilyr both took their packs off to dig around for a healing drought. Seraphina hovered past them and ran a finger over the deep scratch in her brother's chest plate. She looked around the room and once satisfied they were alone she ran her hand over the mark and seemingly erased it.  
Eloryn's eyes nearly fell out of her head and her jaw dropped open. "Hexlings cannot heal!" she said. Though normal healing wouldn't work on metal even if it was enchanted to be Anicetus's body. Seraphina had done something completely different that equated to healing metal. "What did you do, how did you do that?" Eloryn pushed past her sister and raised a paw to Anicetus's chest to feel around on it. There was nothing left of the mark, no buckled metal or raised edges. Just smooth, finely worked steel.

"We have much to discuss," Seraphina said calmly. "Come with me now. All of you," she added as she looked to the rest of the party. "You were all there; you can help retell the story."  
"Story, what story? What happened Seraphina, tell me!" Eloryn insisted.  
"In my room where we can be assured the walls lack ears," she replied as she ghosted back towards the steps.  
"Let me get my desert," Meilyr muttered. "Worked hard on it, no way I am letting it go to waste."  
Windy couldn't take her eyes off the newly restored armor and even when Anicetus moved past her she found her head and eyes followed him. The fire and ice back in the temple had been one thing, the healing was another. Uzern had done something miraculous and Windy knew now more than ever that she wasn't about to leave this strange group of eirian elves. Though a part of her worried now; she really was happier as a Whirlwindling and if they succeeded she would be her boring old self again. Windy pushed the thought from her mind, now was not the time.


	17. Familiar but Different

**Familiar but Different**

"Was it that bad?"  
Spyro turned quickly to face the speaker. Gill Grunt always looked surprised with his large fish eyes and ear fins sticking out. The gillman's yellow eyes blinked behind the tusk-like protrusions of his lower two canine teeth as he waited for the dragon to answer. As a gillman those were his _only_ teeth. "No, things were worked out," Spyro replied. He knew his friend wanted details but there was only so much he could tell him. Informing Eon of the events in Uzern had been surprising. The old Portal Master seemed to already know the unique aspect of the royal family in Meir Valan. Still he never answered Cynder when she asked if that was the element that would make Tour so appealing to Kaos if he found out about it. Spyro shook his head and turned to other thoughts. "Hey, I was just thinking," the dragon began before he sat down.

"Oh no, the dragon is _thinking_," Gill laughed. He folded his legs and sat down on the grass next to Spyro. "You ever stop to realize how often we end up sitting here?" Gill said suddenly. "This particular cliff on the island." He pointed with his head towards the lip of the island, that was their normal spot but their current seat was close enough to count.  
"Good spot to think," Spyro grinned back. "Seriously though, this thing with Hex made me realize maybe we're not as close-knit with our copies as we should be. Maybe we should make the effort to get to know some of them. We might learn something from them."  
Gill scratched under his chin, his large tusk-like lower teeth bobbed as his jaw worked. "It's not like we don't already work side-by-side with copies. Our Portal Master supports more copies than Cores. It's just you, Trigg and I from the original crew."  
Spyro shook his head, "I meant working with a copy of _us_. Get to know them, understand what might have made them so much like us. That sort of thing." Eon and King Hayden of Meir Valan had spoken about getting Cores to work more with the Skylanders that hailed from Tour. Perhaps it wasn't a bad idea to extend to other copies.

Gill sat up and propped his hands on his knees, "What _happened_ with Hex and the princess from Meir Valan? Did she manage to have some sort of breakthrough with the sorceress that has forever changed the Hex we know and love to avoid during her 'moments', Spyro?"  
The dragon shrugged and looked at nothing in particular, "Sort of. It just made me realize that we look at our copies as _copies_ but they couldn't be more different from us. I want to make them feel like I care and understand what they're going through. That's all. Just reach out and let them know I accept them for who they are."  
With a roll of his eyes Gill reached out to poke Spyro in the chest. "Na, something happened. But you won't tell me. That's alright, I think I understand. Rather than let myself get weirded out when I see me do something I'd never get caught dead doing myself I think I'll just let it be." The gillman grunted as he climbed to his feet. "Well I can see you're lost in your own thoughts so I'll leave you to them. You should know Niall has been asking about Meir Valan and the Skylanders you've held company with recently."

"Niall?" Spyro seemed to come out of his trance, "The Voodoodling? Why is he so interested?"  
"Apparently you've been running with his old crew."  
Spyro was on his feet in an instant, "He _knows_ Seraphina? Why didn't he say something sooner, I would have brought him along!" Spyro felt foolish, Niall was a High Priest in the Order of Light, a former elf and from Tour he had said. And the dragon had completely forgotten all of this until Gill had reminded him.  
"You know how he focuses so much on holding service for those willing to listen. He keeps himself busy holding up the spirits of others still missing loved ones. A natural born public speaker, that one. I'm sure at some point he would have asked or even hoped you would bring them to him."  
"Thank you, Gill," Spyro said as he unfurled his wings. "You just gave me a way to finally feel at ease with the apology I delivered. They will be glad to see each other." Niall was a strange one; as much as he missed his old friends he had made no effort whatsoever to make an entry at a hub. As the dragon took flight he couldn't help but wonder why Niall seemed so content to never search.

Eloryn sat stock still on the rug in Seraphina's room. Windy was next to her and was watching her silently. The room was crowded, it was only meant to be used for solitude and sleeping so it didn't need to be very large and the six present Skylanders had filled the available space quite well. "So let me get this straight," Eloryn spoke up at last. "_You_," she motioned to the whole room, "Along with the Cores Spyro, Cynder, Hex and Camo went to Uzern where you," she pointed with her head towards her sister and brother, "underwent a change to get back your psionics." The Flashwingling fell silent when the room gave her slow nods. "Yet you are still nothing more than copies. How can you have your abilities if not also your bodies?" Eloryn's eyes flicked to Meilyr and his bowl of…something. How could he eat at a time like this?  
Seraphina simply shrugged, "It was not like I could ask the Prime High Priest. He was gone before we had realized what happened."  
"I want to go to Uzern, now," Eloryn said with an impetuous stomp of her front foot.

"Once we have Kaelin we can go back," Meilyr surprised the others by answering first. "Ah, do not give me _that_ look," he waved his spoon at Eloryn. "The spirits made a request of us and as they give me the creeps I do not think it wise to return without the requested individual." Meilyr resumed eating his elaborate desert and gave a pout complete with drooping ears when he realized there was no more.  
"Yer just scared," Windy grinned. Well, so was she. A little. But she wasn't going to admit it.  
Eloryn huffed and turned to her sister, "You cannot tell me you do not wonder what a second trip to Uzern would do."  
"Nothing more than it has already, I assume," the older princess replied. "Come, we are done here. I have just dropped the anti-eavesdropping barrier. Not another word about it," she said with a firm look towards Eloryn. The Flashwingling bowed her head in silence, it would be hard but she could manage. She wanted to protect the dead elven city just as much as she wanted to be herself again so she would have to forget about her personal desire for the time being.

"Man, psionics are honkin' bruce," Windy murmured as Seraphina floated past her. The Whirlwindling didn't see the princess jerk back around in surprise when she started taking again about things Seraphina wanted kept quiet. "Just BAM and what you think of is done." She turned to Anicetus next, "You do the same things?"  
"Chronokinetic," he said with the shake of his head. "And Eloryn is a clairvoyant."  
Windy blinked. "What?" Great, more words she was unfamiliar with.  
"Chronokinesis is the ability to alter the flow of time with an exertion of will," Crevan informed the Whirlwindling. "And clairvoyance literally means 'clear seeing' so Eloryn is an oracle or seer of sorts."  
Meilyr stopped licking the inside of his bowl long enough to add to the conversation, "Like those fellows at the carnivals with their elaborate costumes and crystal balls. Only Eloryn can do it without props. Or like Octavious as much better example."  
The Flashwingling looked to Meilyr and snorted, "My ability still did not protect us from this curse. I did not see _that_ coming."

"It is not an exact art," Seraphina said when Windy opened her mouth to question it. "Eloryn sees possible outcomes but not how to make those the true one. Now she can see clearly into the past which can come in handy for retrospect but her far sight is the more glamorous of the two. My own abilities are much broader and I can do nearly anything a mage can do without the use of mana. I underwent some special training to master my skills. Something that in time I will tell you about. Rather I will show you should we visit the gargoyles."

The eldest princess shook her head, "Ok, _now_ the barrier is down. This is a sensitive subject so I would like to request it not be brought up again without precautions taken. It is not that I do not trust my fellow Skylanders; it is more like I do not want too much talk so the wrong person might hear." She gave one last look around the room before the door was opened. "Now, let us travel back home so Mother and Father can see you, Eloryn."

"May I request a leave of absence?" Crevan said with a hand partially raised. "I would like to utilize my time to try and locate Lady Teranika and Sir Rafer."  
"Make that two," Meilyr nodded as he stepped up alongside Crevan.  
"I'm in," Windy said. "This is family business anyway. I'd feel all weird like I didn't belong and probably act like a shoob. We'll catch you later," she nodded to the prince and princesses.

Seraphina had opted to personally find Sean to make her portal request. She felt it would be callous of her to call for one when he was in the same place she was. Eloryn was upset by the delay of searching as shown by her foot tapping when the holographic image had been found at last.  
"Just the three of you?" Sean asked with a glance behind them.  
"Today we are separating in groups to accomplish two tasks," Seraphina replied.  
"Alright, I'll get you there but most likely won't be around later to open another portal. Can you reach your Portal Master, Anicetus?"  
The prince raised a hand and shook his head, "If not it will not be a hassle to find a ship or balloon for transport. I am not worried."  
Sean nodded when he got an image of where Seraphina wanted to go. The bond shared between Skylander and Portal Master was the most unique thing Sean had ever known. In effect thanks to the use of portals he had seen a great deal of Skylands without ever traveling much. With a minimal use of will a glowing portal opened up in the grass behind the siblings. In a way it was as if the Portal Masters themselves had a form of psionic skill. "Palace plaza, just like you showed me," he told Seraphina with an extended hand. "I will make myself available all day on Friday so you can meet with Kaelin," he grinned at the eldest princess.  
"And Galvin?" Eloryn prompted when she remembered Seraphina had said they shared the same Portal Master.  
"And Galvin," Sean nodded. Eloryn had perked up with the name, maybe the key to bringing her mood into brighter areas was with the duo Seraphina yearned to find herself.

Windy wanted to cry. The island she stood on with Crevan and Meilyr had such a deep feeling of despair and hopelessness that it made the Whirlwindling physically ill. There were four other Skylanders present, the only four left with Sam and they were huddled together waiting to be forcefully taken from Skylands and shipped off elsewhere. So far none of the Skylanders Sam had sent away had returned and the four remaining ones looked as forlorn as a lone survivor of a massacre. "Oh Crevan," Windy said with a tremble in her voice, "it is so sad! Why did he do this?" A tear escaped Windy's eye and she blinked furiously to quell any others from following.

Crevan's ears were down like Windy's and Meilyr's, the three visitors felt an ache to help these poor souls but were powerless to do so. So far neither group had made an effort to call out to the other. Wordlessly Crevan took the first step. After several more Meilyr and Windy finally followed him. It wasn't until they were nearly upon the group did the four huddled Skylanders look up.  
The group consisted of a skeletal ghoulish Ghost Roasterling, a spiked shelled-turtle Warnadoling, a timid looking trollish Boomerling and a metallic Drill Sargentling that looked more like a statue than anything else at the moment.  
It was the Boomerling that addressed the group. "We're all that's left," he said sadly. "Who is it you were hoping to see?"  
"A Stealthling and Flameslingerling," Crevan said as he kneeled near the group.  
The troll nodded, "Some of the first to go. Did Conner not find you?" He looked between the three visitors and waited for a response.

"That was the sky baron my father mentioned, wasn't it?" Meilyr questioned. He had been trying to console Seraphina after Hex's tirade and had heard everything second hand later.  
"It was. I remember Avon telling us of him," Crevan nodded while keeping his gaze on the four remaining Skylanders. Now that he was there the Fizzling really had no idea what he was going to ask them or how it could possibly help. He had only known this group for just over a week but due to their bond as Skylanders he looked at them as life-long friends. "Do you have any information about where Sam sent some of his Skylanders? Anything at all could help us."  
The troll shifted and sat up a little straighter, his companions kept their heads down and watched the visitors with hooded gazes. "No. Don't know a thing about it. Some he simply walked out with in the morning and never returned home. Others were packed up and sent out to buyers he found over the internet. We're waiting to see our own fates and how we'll be shipped off."

"This…sucks," Windy said at last. "It feels terrible here. The look on everyone's faces. How can you stand just sitting around and waiting for it to happen?" Windy scowled with a shake of her head. "I'd be out there having as much fun as I could with my friends. Doing _something_ to take my mind off it!" She wanted to say that it could be days before they were taken away and sitting around doing nothing was a terrible way to pass it. The Whirlwindling just couldn't seem to form the words. She was sad that their Portal Master was getting rid of them and she was mad at them for not trying to enjoy themselves more.  
"You ever had a Portal Master abandon you and every other Skylander he owned?" the Warnadoling snapped at her. "Didn't think so," he snorted when Windy clamped her jaw shut and arched her neck back from the group in surprise.  
Crevan placed a hand on one of the hybrid's quivering wings when she made an advance on the group. "Do not take anything personally, Windy," he told her softly.  
"Look," Windy said with a snarl that surprised both Fizzlings, "We came here looking for anything we could find on two friends. Maybe I don't understand what you're going through but you could at least keep the thought in mind that your next Portal Master will be _better_. If you're not going to do anything to help yourselves don't expect sympathy from me! You're only going to get pity. I feel sorry for you because you think the world is ending. Well it's not!"

The Drill Sargentling finally stirred and with the turning of gears and hiss of hydraulics he tilted his helmet-like head towards Windy. "I thought Sam _was_ a better Portal Master. I was passed from child to child before I found my way into Sam's hands," he said in a voice cold as steel but without the metallic ring the others were expecting. "He had his limits but he made the effort to give us time in Skylands. Then suddenly he decides he wants nothing to do with us anymore. The only reason he gave was he was bored and Skylanders was for children. Children! He thinks what we do is a joke! My image is cartoony when used in conjunction with that game that doubles as our tome of origins. Here, in the _real_ Skylands we are anything but cute little animated characters. He has walked alongside us; he has _seen_ how differently we look in Skylands as opposed to the toys that act as our prisons. And he has heard our plight as we search for missing family and friends. How can he say Skylanders is for _children_?" The tank-like armored robot let out steam as the cogs that made up the wheels he rolled on turned and edged him closer to Windy. An arm topped with a thick drill bit came up and poked Windy in the snout. The Whirlwindling trembled slightly when the mech pressed it harder against her. If he started it up Windy would find herself flung back to Earth in a heartbeat as her face tried to repair itself.

"Enough," Meilyr snapped as he put a hand on Windy's scaled chest and pulled her away from the arkeyan. "Stop it, now. This accomplishes nothing, it changes nothing. I am sorry we disturbed you. We shall take our leave so that you may wallow in your own sorrow."  
The Sargentling pulled his arm back and pointed up upwards before he gave it a few quick rotations and a whine of rotors. "We never asked for your company anyway."  
"Just leave, I'd rather not have what could be my final moments spent by listening to you blokes harp on us for moping," the Warnadoling growled.

"Thank you for your time," Crevan said tonelessly. He waited for Meilyr and Windy to turn before he did so too. The Fizzling shook his head as he tromped through the knee-high grass; well they had tried at least.  
"They're all named Helen from now on," Windy muttered.  
"Helen?" Crevan questioned.  
"A long story," Meilyr sighed. "Just go with it, a rude person is now known as Helen. To be rude is the acting of pulling a Helen."  
Windy's scowl broke with a smile, "Now that I like. We just coined a phrase! Alright, boss," she looked to Crevan, "Where to next?"  
"Back to a hub," Meilyr responded for him. "Teranika and Rafer have already set up profiles so we can at least let them know where we have been. And maybe if we put the coordinates in for Meir Valan their new Portal Masters can get them there easily."  
"Are we going back to Meir Valan later?" Windy inquired after she glanced up to the late afternoon sun.  
Meilyr nodded. "Eloryn is going to want to stay overnight. Seraphina offered you a room that you can still take if you wish."

"Thanks but I'll jet back to Krystal's island and Earth. It's easy enough to open a portal and get back. Maybe I'll bring one of my friends with me tomorrow." She cocked her head to the side, "In fact I think I'll go ahead and do that. It was cool to hang with you again. Let Seraphina know I'll be back tomorrow." Windy gave a nod to the two Fizzlings before she trotted off and called to Krystal.  
Meilyr looked back to the huddled group, they hadn't bothered to move and the Fizzling snorted. "Well then, can you reach Beth? My Portal Master, who has a name I cannot pronounce, is not active anyway." Meilyr's answer came in the form of a swirling vortex of light behind Crevan.  
"To Never-sleep Nexus," the second Fizzling motioned to the newly opened portal.

"Eloryn," Seraphina said for what felt like the hundredth time. She and Anicetus were stationed outside their sister's bedchamber in the short hall that connected it to her sitting room and personal study. As with the other royal rooms there was a line of stained glass windows running the length of hall and each room on the ends depicting Eloryn's personal seal, an egg shaped ruby hanging in the middle of a golden hoop. "Mother and Father know you are here by now. Are you ready to meet them?"  
Anicetus raised a gauntleted hand and banged hard on the door. "Come on, Eloryn. You cannot expect to stay locked in your rooms all day. We will bring Mother and Father to you if we must."

Eloryn buried her head under her pillow and brought up her thick, crystalized front paws to hold the down-filled object in place. She sniffled again and bit back the sob that tried to escape. She thought she would feel better being back home but she didn't. She was greeted by people as if she were a common Skylander, no one could recognize her now. Others gave her looks of sympathy which further made her feel like she was suffering from some unsightly disease. What had she done to deserve any of this?

The lump in the youngest princess's throat wouldn't go away and she coughed a few times in an effort to rid herself of it. Eloryn pulled her head out from under her pillow and stared at her clawed and gemmed feet. Another tear slid down her cheek and landed on a crystal protrusion. She missed having fingers; she missed walking on two legs. She felt so handicapped now and clumsy with massive paws and thick toes in place of narrow fingers. Eloryn rolled a paw over and flexed it to look at her claws, she did make an effort to keep them clean and finely trimmed but she missed brushing out her raven hair. With a sigh she moved the same paw over the top of her head, scales and crystal horns were all she felt now. There was one lone amethyst gem on her forehead between her eyes that might have been a horn at one time but was flat like a cut gem now. She gave a tiny moan before she curled up and wound up bringing her tail towards her face. Her tail, the fact she had one now offended her deeply and she swished it away quickly in disgust. Eloryn really wanted to visit Uzern; maybe the spirits could break the curse if they would unlock abilities her sister and brother thought they had lost when they took the forms of Cores. Maybe Crevan and Windy had abilities unlocked too from their previous lives. Meilyr was an alchemist through and through; he had no magic skills other than what he could mix in a vial.

"Eloryn!" Anicetus yelled as he banged on the door again.  
The Flashwingling growled as she propped herself up on her bed then jumped off in irritation. She made her way to her vanity before she reared up and leaned on the table surface. It was hard to tell she had been crying, her eyes weren't red nor were they puffy. Eloryn ran a forearm over both eyes and looked again, as easy as that and all evidence of tears was gone. She cleared her throat and pushed off the vanity surface to head towards the door. With a grunt she reared up again, took the doorknob in both clawed paws and opened it.

Anicetus stumbled into the room, he had been prepared to bang again and the sudden movement of the door had put him off balance. "What could you have possibly been doing that took so long?" he muttered as he straightened his posture again.  
"I wanted to be alone for a while," Eloryn snapped back. Her head swiveled to Seraphina, her older sister was still hovering in the doorway with her hands clasped in front of her. She was dressed as a priestess still, something Eloryn always gave her trouble for since she never seemed to take advantage of her status as princess to wear extravagantly detailed gowns and dresses. Eloryn looked back to Anicetus then finally the partial reflection of herself. No one would be able to tell they were family now, not a single one of them looked remotely like the other anymore. "I have not been home for two years. Let me enjoy my personal retreat for a while before I see our parents. Let me _feel_ like myself again."  
"Come, Ani. We can grant her a little more time. I will inform Mother and Father, then," Seraphina said with a nod. She waited for Anicetus to make his excruciatingly slow exit before she closed Eloryn's door. The act wasn't done by hand, Seraphina had chosen to use her psionic skill of telekinesis and remind Eloryn that if she wanted the oldest princess could _make_ her leave her rooms.

"Where is Eloryn?" Morwen demanded the moment Seraphina and Anicetus emerged from her rooms.  
"She is probably fretting over the lack of our presence," Aelwen said. She made a move to step past Seraphina and was surprised when the elder princess stopped her. "As her lady in waiting she will be expecting me."  
"At the moment she is not wanting to see anyone," Anicetus said. "You will find her mood sour."  
Aelwen pulled her hand out of Seraphina's loose grip and pushed into the room anyway. A moment later and Morwen followed her.  
"Let them, Ani," Seraphina said with a wave.  
"You hardly tried to stop them," the prince pointed out. His tone said he was amused.  
The priestess robe wearing princess offered her brother a shrug, "Ready or not Eloryn should expect company."

"Eloryn!" the pounding on the door resumed. This time is was Aelwen's high voice Eloryn heard.  
The Flashwingling rolled her eyes, "Go away!" she shrieked. "When I sent Ani and Sera away I did not mean to exchange them for _you_!"  
"We have not seen you in two years, please open the door," Morwen's much softer voice pleaded.  
The pain the princess heard in her cousin's voice pulled on her heart strings. She did miss her extended family so very much but she was ashamed to greet them as she was at the same time. "Give me a moment," Eloryn said softly. She knew they hadn't heard but she felt that if she raised her voice again it would crack with emotion.  
"We are eager to see you!" Aelwen huffed. "I do not care that you are now a Flashwingling, I _know _that is why you avoid us so. The Eloryn _I_ know would be too proud to let a little thing such as as a transformation spell get in the way."

Aelwen jumped back and nearly knocked Morwen over when the door flew open and Eloryn greeted them with such a look of fury on her draconic face that she appeared wild with rage. She hissed and lowered her front half while her tail came up like a scorpion's stinger over her back and exploded with light. "You know nothing!" Eloryn growled out through grit teeth. She pumped her tail forward and a crystal shard shot out and raced down the hall just barely missing Aelwen's shoulder. The tinkling of crystal was heard down the hall where it struck the far wall. "Leave me be!" roared Eloryn, "When I emerge then and _only_ then will I be ready for company!"  
Morwen burst into tears and turned to leave immediately while Aelwen went pale and drew herself up tall. She held herself with the same poise as any princess even if she was the lowest ranking noble in the princess's service. "Eloryn Reve," she snapped out in an authoritative tone. "You have _always_ been a spoiled brat but _never_ have I seen such rude and irresponsible behavior from you. I should tender my resignation right now," she finished with a sniff of superiority.  
"Then do it!" Eloryn barked at her before she re-entered her bedchamber and slammed the door.  
"Not if that is what you want me to do!" Aelwen boomed. She glared at the shut door then whipped around to storm out of the princess's rooms.

The sandy haired lady in waiting wasn't surprised to see Morwen crying on Seraphina's shoulder when she emerged. The older elf smoothed her grey satin dress down over her hips and nodded to the other princess before she strode off down the hall with more restraint than when she had stormed out the door.  
"What has happened to us?" Morwen sniffled as she finally stood up on her own. She looked from Eloryn's door back to the cousin wearing a stranger's face. Morwen's face crinkled in sorrow as she held a hand up to feel the foreign features of Seraphina's face. "It may have been only the six of you that fell victim to Kaos's curse but it has affected us _all_."  
Seraphina gently removed Morwen's hand from where it had settled on her cheek and ear. "Give it time, this is the first time we have all been back home together. It is a very emotional period for all of us." The princess sighed and closed her eyes before she rest her forehead against Morwen's.

"Not all of us are back," Morwen said softly.  
Seraphina flinched, she had hoped the subject wouldn't arise. "Teranika and Rafer _will_ be found. I can promise you this. We found each other before and can do it again. Kaelin and Galvin are so very close to being in our company again as well."  
Morwen sighed deeply and nearly collapsed against Seraphina. The Hexling braced her and hugged her cousin tightly. "It just seems like things keep coming at us fast and hard. I am ready for it all to be nothing more than a bad dream."  
"Come on," Seraphina prompted with a gentle nudge to her cousin's shoulder. "Ani should be with our parents by now. Whoever else comes to see Eloryn will have to make due on their own. I will not stand here playing guard until she has deemed everyone worthy of seeing her." She gave Morwen a soft smile and reluctantly the other elf returned it.

By the time Crevan and Meilyr had returned word of the final princess's homecoming had spread through Meir Valan like wildfire.  
"Oh, Eloryn will not like this one bit," Meilyr murmured as he walked backwards. The whole of the city was being transformed to celebrate the return of the royal children.  
"It is done in her honor, why would she not?" Crevan questioned. Skylanders in general were getting a warm reception, Crevan had been handed so many flowers from children and unwed maidens alike that he had literally run out of places to put them. The Fizzling looked ridiculous with flowers in the longer fur atop his head and sticking out of the straps of his potion backpack. Meilyr looked much the same only he found more space in the joints of his enchanted armor. They looked like walking flowerpots.  
"Well, she _would_ like it. If she were still an _elf_," Meilyr began to explain.  
"Say no more," Crevan cut him off with a raised hand. "I understand now. Will she let her, ah, _disadvantage_ keep her from reveling in celebration on her behalf?"  
Meilyr finally turned back around to walk normally when he bumped into a hand cart that a merchant's apprentice was wheeling into the plaza just past the city's walls. "Sorry," he murmured when the cart jolted and dropped a few bolts of fabric. The apprentice scrambled to pick them up and never took his wide-eyed stare off the two Skylanders that had knelt to assist him.

"The king is going to present his son and daughters to the city no matter what," Meilyr resumed the conversation and walk once the cart had been reloaded. "If Eloryn refuses to show then it will be seen as a blow to the citizens. They want to see her no matter what she looks like now. There are those that look up to her and she will insult them if she does not accept their outpouring of gratitude for her return."  
"As a normal citizen of Hawk Ridge the more political aspects of simple appearances are new to me," Crevan admitted. "Though I do know that hearing King Faolan wish us well before we marched helped to raise spirits and infuse us with a sense of pride to be from Hawk Ridge. Just as having him welcome us home with open arms and a warm smile helped us loosen the cords battle had tied to us."  
Meilyr nodded, "The city expects to see it's king and queen. How else can they know they have a ruler that truly works in their favor? Anicetus often tells me about how his father reminds him that a king serves the people, not the other way around. The king ultimately is the force behind a kingdom's success and prosperity as well as protection. If he cannot look over all aspects of life for those under his rule and make sure everything works then he will have failed them."  
"I do not envy the royal family at all," Crevan stated after a long while of silence.  
Meilyr watched children wrap the lampposts and trees in ribbon and finally nodded to Crevan's statement. "Nor do I. I am happy with my lot in life. I keep Anicetus safe, maybe get into a little trouble alongside him and that is all." Meilyr looked to the west of the city and the orange ball that was creeping towards the horizon. "It will not be long before the celebration begins. Windy will be disappointed she missed it."

Spyro approached the gathering of Skylanders quietly. It was a small little island he was now perched upon that was devoid of any fixtures other than the natural scattering of boulders, trees and other wildlife. The whole of the island was only about an acre large and un-owned by any force in Skylands or a Portal Master. It wasn't unused however. Once a week the island was packed with copies of Cores and every once in a while a Core themselves. Today happened to be that day and Spyro found himself in the company of perhaps a hundred or so other Skylanders. On a natural rise near one edge of the island stood a lone orc; at the moment he looked nothing like Voodood despite being one of his copies. The green skinned and square jawed figure was dressed like a warrior priest in grey robes with bits of armor plating on his shoulders and chest. He held a halberd instead of Voodood's normal ax or a priest's staff. The halberd itself was engraved with symbols that marked him as a High Priest in the Order of Light. Perhaps his muscular build had been the reasoning he had settled on a look half-way between the orc he was a copy of and the priest he had been before the curse.

"You have all grown so much and come so far since this hardship was thrust upon us," the orc was saying. He turned to encompass the whole of the group with his gaze before he turned and paced a few steps in either direction. "I am proud of you. Look to your right and _see_ you fellow crusader. Tell them that you are proud of them. Then look to your left and tell that person the same thing." He waited as a murmur of 'I'm proud of you' rippled through the group over and over again. The orc once again centered himself in the middle of the rise. "Now how many of you are proud of _yourselves_?" he asked.

"Ignore what you look like currently. Look on what you have _done_. Twice now we have beaten back Kaos. He thought he had bested us when he banished the Skylanders. _That_ is how strong our spirits are! We have returned to continue the fight. He will not take Skylands so long as we continue to protect it." He bowed his head for a moment as the crowd erupted into cheers and jubilant calls. After a few breaths the Voodoodling raised a hand and the crowd calmed down once again.

"Now my fellow Skylanders; I know that we face other trials besides Kaos. I know that many still search for their old companions. You do not know what they look like now or how they are being treated by their new caretakers. Do not despair," he said with the thump of his halberd on the grass. "They are strong, like you!" he emphasized his point by extending a sweeping finger out to the crowd. "We are not beaten, do not let your lack of progress in finding those you are missing dishearten you. Know that they search for you too while upholding what we as Skylanders stand for."

The orc gave a soft smile before he surprisingly lowered himself into a seated position. The crowd followed suit and once the clamor of movement had died down the Voodoodling spoke again. "As the day fades so too does the sun set on our gathering. I enjoyed the stories you shared with us today," he said to a few Skylanders in the front row. "I am glad to see returning faces as well as new faces. For those of you that are new I am Niall Miach, Prime High Priest of Hawk Ridge in the Tour region of Skylands. If you are not learned in elven ways all that means is I am the highest ranking member of the temple in Hawk Ridge. My service and my appearance may have changed since the banishment but what I stand for has not. It gladdens my heart to see you continue your vigilance against the allies of darkness. Every week I hold these services, sometimes we come together simply to pray and boost spirits. Other times we come to share our moments of victory. As always the tone is set by you, the listeners. Join me now in a moment of prayer before you once again set out to fulfill your duties as Skylanders."

Spyro bowed his head along with the other gathered Skylanders. They were respectfully quiet and even though Spyro was surrounded by people he didn't feel confined or trapped. These were like-minded individuals just looking for a little taste of a normal life in which Niall gave them each week with his sermons. The dragon's thoughts drifted as Niall began the prayer that was repeated by a few familiar with it.  
"I trust in the light for its brightness shall dispel the dark. Darkness has no hold on me, I see it and know that it is there but it will not touch me. The light touches everything while the darkness needs to be let in, I shall do no such thing for the light comforts and protects me. My doubts, fears and anger do not make me a part of the darkness unless I believe they do and allow them to rule me. They shall not, my will is stronger than the illusions darkness holds. My power comes from within, a power I share with every living creature. Nothing can ever take the light away; it is now and forever a part of me. I see the same light radiating brightly in the cores of those around me and allow my light to shine brightly enough to uplift those who have forgotten to let their own shine. I will not fear the darkness. Everything I need to thrive is always within me."

Silence settled in for a moment as the Skylanders let the words sink in. Spyro opened his eyes again when he heard the shuffling and soft murmur of voices. The dragon rose to his feet and moved to the side of a tree as Niall ambled through the crowd and stopped to speak with those that called to him. It took a while for the crowd to disperse, some through the use of portals and others via balloons that were drifting about the island for that purpose. The sun had vanished over the horizon before Spyro was able to approach Niall at last.

"I thought it was you," Niall smiled at the purple dragon. "You should have said something. They would have loved to hear from the leader of the Skylanders."  
"This is your show," Spyro said with a bow of his head. "I didn't want to intrude."  
Niall shook a finger at Spyro, "I know you. You will not search for me unless something has happened."  
"You didn't tell me you knew Princess Seraphina."  
The orc laughed, "Right to the point. Yes, I know Seraphina. She studied under me for a while during the end of her training as a priestess. Very capable young woman and determined to prove that her royal blood did not make her any different from anyone else."  
Spyro began to walk with Niall as the Voodoodling moved away from the spot of his sermon. "Why haven't you made any effort to reach out to her?"  
Niall nodded as if he had expected the question. "You know that eirian elves have very long lives, second only to dragons, correct?" he waited for Spyro to nod and could only smirk at the confused expression the dragon had adopted. "I am five hundred and ninety two."  
Spyro nearly tripped over his own feet. "Seriously?" he asked.  
"You are young, Spyro. You will live to see many centuries yourself. It seems strange now but come your second or third century it will be normal."  
"Yeah, ok. But what does this have to do with my question?"

Niall raised a hand as they stopped walking. "Let me finish. I worked closely with Seraphina for almost a year. The princess was a very bright and eager student. She is also very beautiful and kind." Niall's tone changed to one of fondness and Spyro's wings began to twitch. "You understand then?"  
"But you're so much _older_ than her!" Spyro said in disgust. "Wait, how old is _she_?"  
"Thirty," Niall nodded. "Again, _young_ dragon. There may come a time where a gap of several centuries means nothing to your heart. Her parents are in their fifth century of life as well. Yes, Seraphina is their first child. As such a long lived race there is no hurry to procreate for us. It is also rare for us to remain wed to the same individual for our whole lives. Seraphina's parents are among the few that have remained together through the centuries. But I digress. I took to Seraphina but she did not take to me. She knew of my interest and rather than run away she simply told me she could not return the feelings. Have you met Meilyr by any chance? He is the personal guard of Seraphina's brother Anicetus."

"Yeah, I know them all. I've met them all except for the final princess."  
"Meilyr had taken to Seraphina as well. Meilyr knew of my interest and formed a deep dislike and distrust of me. He accused me of helping Seraphina along in exchange for, ah," Niall made a face and simply waved his hand. He couldn't bring himself to say what Meilyr had thought.  
Again Spyro was disgusted. No, he didn't think he could ever look past such an enormous gap in age. "So it's drama that kept you from searching."  
"A childish reason, no?" Niall chuckled mirthlessly. "But yes, that is why I never bothered to search for them."  
"Well you're going to see them tonight," Spyro insisted. "As your superior that is an order." He gave Niall a draconian grin.


	18. Expectations

**Expectations**

King Hayden Reve and Queen Delyth Reve sat silently in the sitting room of their daughter Eloryn's private quarters. They had not yet laid eyes on Eloryn, their youngest daughter had cordoned herself off in her bedchamber. The king and queen had entered without a word and took a seat just as silently. Hayden was growing impatient judging by the way he kept tapping his foot and shifting nearly constantly in the plush chair he had taken facing Delyth. His arms were folded across his chest one moment then resting beside him the next before they were laid across his knees. He had a deep scowl on his face and gave an irritated sigh nearly every other breath.  
"Stop," Delyth whispered harshly and shot him a hard look. She smoothed out the pale sea foam green dress she wore and made a show of firmly placing her slippered feet on the floor to indicate how still Hayden's booted feet should be.  
Hayden extended his arms to his side with the palms up in an unspoken 'what?' question. He then scowled and pointed repeatedly towards the hall at the back of the room to indicate that the reason for his shortness in patients was the lack of his daughter.

"I know you are out there," a sad voice said suddenly.  
Hayden was on his feet instantly, the hard set of his features melted away and he looked like an eager father once more. "Eloryn," he said gently. "Sweetheart, your mother and I have missed you terribly."  
Ever so slowly Eloryn stepped out of the hall. Normally when she entered a room it was with a sweeping motion that showed her strong personality. Now she ambled in with head down and wings drooping. One foot was placed in front of the other in a near dragging motion. She looked like a broken slave come to meet her fate. She gave a deep sigh when she had finally moved fully into the room.  
"My little baby," Delyth said as she ran to Eloryn and flung her arms around her scaled neck. "It is so good to see you. I am so glad you are with us again."

Eloryn accepted the embrace for a while before she wiggled out just as her father tried to embrace her as well. "Good to see _me_?" she scoffed with anger replacing the sorrow. "It is not _me _that you see!" She reared up tall and proud, looking more like herself in her anger. "_I_ do not even see me anymore! I look into a mirror and a stranger stares back at me." Her wings rattled as the crystalline feathers clinked against one another.  
"You are still our daughter," Hayden insisted. "Nothing can change that fact."  
"Not hearing from you for two years, not being able to speak to you or hold you. It has been heartbreaking for us," Delyth sighed. She straightened her posture and her eyes held tremendous sadness as she locked gazes with her daughter. "It is good to see you," she reiterated.

Eloryn shook her head vehemently. "You do not see _me._ You see Flashwing!"  
"I see a beautiful and strong young woman making due with the hand fate has dealt her," Hayden said in a firm but not hard tone.  
"Beautiful?" Eloryn snorted. "This is not beautiful."  
"You are a beautiful _dragon_ right now," Hayden insisted. "You may not be an elf but you are still beautiful in my eyes."  
Delyth clasped her hands under her chin and seemed to be pleading with the princess. "We do not care what you look like, dear. You are still our precious Eloryn!"

"Does anyone stop to think about how _I_ feel? I care about how I look! I am not this creature and I do not want to _look_ like this creature. I want to be me!" she said with a stomp. "All anyone ever tells me is how I am still me but I do not _feel_ it. Seraphina does not understand. She is still an elf! Anicetus still retains the same form more or less; he does not understand what it is like to suddenly be nothing more than an animal."  
"You are not an animal and neither is Flashwing!" Hayden puffed up as he berated his daughter. "Animals do not speak. Animals cannot use tools and animals do not have rooms in the palace. If you consider yourself an animal I have an open stable for you." He pointed towards the doors of her rooms as an indication of where she should go in that case.  
"Hayden!" Delyth gasped with wide eyes and both hands slapped over her mouth.  
"No, Delyth. We have done nothing to deserve this tone and disrespect from her. I have honestly told her that she is still my beautiful daughter and I love her as I always have but she has closed her ears to it. If she wants to insist that she is an animal then she will be treated as one. She obviously does not want to be a princess anymore."

"I do!" Eloryn screamed through the tears that had begun to fall again. "You cannot understand what I am going through! I feel like I have lost everything right down to my identity! It has been stolen from me and all anyone can say is 'be strong' and 'hang in there' to me. I want things to be the way they used to be!"  
Delyth moved to comfort her daughter and gave her husband a reprimanding look. "It will happen Eloryn. One day everything will be set right. I cannot tell you when or how but I know it will happen. You _must_ stay strong. Do you want to be miserable? You can still live a happy life; you just have to make an effort to change things until what you desire is within reach again."  
Eloryn tucked her massive head between her mother's shoulder and ear as she sobbed loudly. She barely noticed her father had joined her mother in holding the quivering princess's dragon body.  
"I am sorry," Hayden said softly. "Nothing will ever change the fact that you are my daughter and I am proud of you for your accomplishments."

Neither Niall nor Spyro was expecting the sight directly inside the gates of Meir Valan. The nighttime city was alive with lights, music, and food and dancing. The revelry was a strange sight and as the two Skylanders made their way slowly through the crowds they found themselves decorated with necklaces of flowers that had been woven together using their stems alone. Spyro had noticed that the celebration seemed restricted to the main avenue through the city though. The streets beyond were empty and lit only by either the crystal lamps elves so loved or oil lamps.

"Any ideas?" Spyro asked his fellow Skylander as he arched his neck to peer at his multiple flower necklaces. These elves had no idea who he really was, they were just being friendly and welcoming in a time of celebration.  
"A return most likely," Niall responded. He smiled and stooped down to accept the flower a small elven girl held up to him. "Thank you, dear," he told her. She gave him the biggest grin she could manage before she ran after another group of children that had dashed by giggling.  
"Then I can assume that means who we've come to see is indeed here."  
Niall rose to his feet again and nodded. He held his halberd tightly, he felt out of sorts being armed in such a time of celebration but there was nothing to do about it now. "Well the crowds will slow our progress at any rate. Not that I am in a hurry to get there, mind you. I have purposely kept myself hidden for two years so I cannot imagine Seraphina will be very pleased to learn it."  
"You could always tell her you are newly arrived," Spyro suggested.  
The orc shook his head, "She would find out I had lied sooner or later and that would only make it look as if I were hiding something. I will be honest with her now and get it over with. I should return home tomorrow as well." Niall cast his eyes to the north and the hidden towers of Hawk Ridge.

The palace plaza held just as many Skylanders as it did elves and other Skylands residents. Seraphina had extended an invitation to all of Sean's other Skylanders and told them to bring their families. Anicetus had extended invitations to his Portal Master's Skylanders as well. Meilyr had insisted that he didn't hold company with anyone from his Portal Master and had refrained. Crevan had felt awkward as he wasn't a citizen of Meir Valan to begin with and had also refrained from inviting any of his fellows. Still it had made for a grand gathering and allowed many of them to see new sights and sounds.

The eldest princess stood with the Crusherling Herc and his daughter the Sprocketling as well as her twins and husband, all Goldings themselves. Seraphina wore her soft lavender gown again with a few rings for decoration and a simple golden circlet with a single amethyst gem imbedded in it. The Sprocketling, Leandra, was dressed in a white gown with tan accents. Herc had said she didn't look too much different from her original self; save for the fact her hair was now straight rather than curly and a lighter shade of red than it used to be.  
"Thank you for having us here," Leandra said. "It is so good to meet the friends my father has made in our time apart." She reached out to take her daughter by the hand when the little girl tried to jump up and grab a glass off a serving tray as the liveried servant made his rounds.  
"Momma!" the little girl whined, "I'm _thirsty_!"  
"Shh, that is not for little girls," her mother said.  
"Can I have one?" Leandra's son asked. His mother pursed her lips and shook her head.  
"This way," Seraphina chuckled, "We have refreshments for the children as well."

"It's not as bad as you seem to think," Nikki, Sean's other Flashwingling had just told Eloryn. "Ah, no," she said with a shake of her head when the princess opened her mouth to reply. "Don't say it. You must look at the pros. You are stronger now, more fearsome in combat and it takes a lot more to knock you down. Look at yourself as a powerhouse, Princess."  
Eloryn snorted and sat down with hunched shoulders and her head held low. "I do not care about these things. What I cared about is lost to me."  
Nikki rolled her eyes and sat next to the other Flashwingling. They looked like twins except for the fact Eloryn's head and face had been draped in chains of gold and the gem on her forehead now bore a cap with the Reve family symbol on it. Eloryn's seal of an egg shaped ruby in a golden hoop was repeated on the sides of her head almost like earrings. "I'm going to stop trying to convince you otherwise like I know you're wishing I would. But I am going to sit here with you anyway. I won't speak unless spoken to, having a partner will help keep others from bothering you."  
"Thank you," Eloryn grumbled. With that said the two dragons became quiet.

"I had hoped that at some time you would have come to visit me," a light haired, olive skinned elf dressed like a lord in fine silks of black and red said with a smirk to the Ignitorling.  
"Come now, brother," Hayden laughed, "The lad has just returned home. Give him time to become re-acclimated before he visits Worshton." Hayden wrapped an arm around the shoulders of his younger brother. "We felt this would be a fine way to bring everyone together." Hayden raised the cup he held before he tilted it to his lips.  
"It is good to see you again, Uncle," Anicetus said with soft yellow flames. "How is Devin?"  
"Your cousin is out traveling again," the king's brother said with a shake of his head. "You know how he loves to explore and bring back wild tales."  
"And Aunt Iona?"  
"Floating around here somewhere," Heremon replied as he glanced around the crowd in an effort to spot her. "Probably with your mother or sisters."

"Heremon," Hayden said suddenly to the other elf, "have you spoken to a Portal Master yet?"  
Heremon shook his head, "Cannot say that I have. The only Skylanders I know are my nieces and nephew," he grinned at Anicetus.  
Hayden drank again from his cup and finished it. He licked his lips and set it on the tray a passing servant held up. "They are fascinating individuals. Some are infuriating but all such a cultural experience. I highly recommend conversing with one," the king nodded.  
Heremon watched him try to take another goblet and stopped him. "No, Hayden. You have had enough already." He looked back to Anicetus with a knowing glance; the king only drank when something had him worried. Anicetus pointed towards the two Flashwinglings, the one that was Eloryn was blatantly obvious. "Right," Heremon said with a nod, "though I am only a duke and you the king I am going to say you have had enough. Delyth will thank you for your abstinence from this point on."

Hayden scowled but eventually nodded. "We should go talk to Seraphina," the king said brightly. "She has news for you about Uzern."  
Heremon rolled his eyes and gave Hayden a good-natured smile. "I heard already. I was visited by a courier if you remember. Introduce me to some of these other Skylanders if you would."  
"Oh! Of course!" the king said happily before he marched off towards a group of them.  
"I will watch him," Heremon promised Anicetus before he followed Hayden.

Anicetus shook his head and spotted Meilyr after the Fizzling waved at him. As expected he was standing in a group comprised of his father Avon, brother Lorcan and his family. "Well you make for an odd family portrait," the Ignitorling chuckled once he was near enough to them.  
Meilyr inclined his head to look down on Anicetus, "And you do not?"  
"Point taken," the Ignitorling said with a quick flicker of yellow flames.  
"It is good to see you again, Prince," a dark haired and ruddy skinned elf said with a bow.  
Anicetus nodded his head, "It is good to see you too, Lorcan. And Lady Avalbane!" Anicetus said warmly to Lorcan's beautiful copper skinned and golden brown haired wife. The Ignitorling knelt down to get a better look at the young boy clinging tightly to his mother's skirts. "I know you do not recognize me, little Finley, but it is good to see you again." Anicetus stood up when the tiny boy's eyes widened and he stepped behind his mother to bury his face in her skirts. The prince knew that to a child he must look like the incarnation of evil, fire was always a scary element to deal with. Avalbane gave the prince an embarrassed smile and dipped her head apologetically; Anicetus gently pat her shoulder to assure her he wasn't offended.  
"He keeps calling me Bunny," Meilyr sighed. "Finley does not recognize me either but at least he is not terrified of me."  
"You _do_ look rather like a bunny," Avon grinned.  
"Gee, thanks Dad," Meilyr muttered with the roll of his eyes.

Seraphina kept flitting from group to group to ensure everyone felt welcome. She took heart in seeing Sean's other Skylanders introduce their families to each other and greet warmly those that shared Anicetus's Portal Master Issac. She nodded greetings to other lords and ladies of Meir Valan and exchanged quick conversations with them to be polite before she rotated to others. It was all a game of formality, she had to know which nobles only wanted to be acknowledged and which ones expected conversation out of her. On top of that she had to know what interested the nobles and speak only about that. It was exhausting and just one more reason Seraphina preferred to present herself as a priestess. The nobles would leave her be if her style of clothing wasn't the same as theirs. Eloryn normally loved the game of social catering; it would almost always present her with gifts and baubles from the young and unwed lords. This time however she sat off on her own brooding. The fact she looked so unapproachable kept the other nobles away from her, that and they weren't quite sure what to think of two Flashwinglings sitting together.

The princess just did happen to see the arrival of two new faces at the palace gates. The guards spoke to the purple dragon then turned around to point towards her. Seraphina used her newly restored psionic skills to eavesdrop on the dragon's thoughts then smiled when she learned he was Spyro. She shifted then to the orc with him and her heart skipped a beat. Niall! He was alive! Seraphina wanted to run towards him and greet him but no, she would prefer him to get a chance to speak to her first and introduce himself. Niall had always chided her for taking the fun out of conversations when she would use her telepathy to instantly learn everything. It did make encounters rather impersonal and Seraphina so loved hearing people tell their stories in their own ways. Patiently Seraphina awaited the arrival of the duo that already knew she had seen them.

"I honestly didn't expect to be back so soon, Princess Seraphina," Spyro grinned once he was in the finely dressed Hexling's company. "But it was brought to my attention that my friend here, who shares my Portal Master, is a mutual friend of ours."  
The orc bowed deeply, "My deepest apologies Princess Seraphina. I have been active in Skylands for more time than needed to have reached out to you. I hope you can forgive an old priest his quirks."  
"Light Niall," Seraphina sighed. "We thought you might have fallen in combat!" She didn't give it another thought before she threw her arms around the orc's neck and hugged him fiercely. "You were not an official Skylander, when Kaos's machine sent us to Earth and left his forces untouched I had thought you were left behind and overwhelmed. I was so angry at myself for letting you follow us." Seraphina hadn't noticed she was crying until she felt a few drops hit her arm. She moved one hand up to furiously scrub them out of her eyes, she didn't want anyone to see and start a scene.  
Niall closed his eyes and hugged the Hexling just as tightly as she hugged him. It was strange, she still smelled the way he remembered; like roses and vanilla.  
Spyro caught the look of gratitude from Seraphina when she locked eyes with him and smiled. It made the dragon feel wonderful to know he had in effect brought someone back from the dead.

"Would you mind introducing your friend to us?" Queen Delyth said suddenly from the left of Seraphina.  
"Mother!" the princess said happily as she released Niall and turned to her as well as the Duchess of Worshton, "Aunt Iona! Prime High Priest Niall has returned! King Faolan of Hawk Ridge should be informed at once!"  
The queen's eyes widened and she placed a hand over her heart, "Prime Niall Miach?" she addressed the orc.  
"At your service," the priest bowed deeply.  
Delyth clapped in delight, "Parlan Ormond has temporarily stepped into your shoes I understand. He will be ever so happy to return the title to you." The only reason Delyth even knew of Niall's replacement was because he and a handful of other high priests from Hawk Ridge had been involved in Seraphina's training and eventual rise to High Priestess herself. After the Skylanders were banished and Niall had gone missing they kept in constant contact hoping for news. "So you were a Skylander after all?"  
"Well I am _now_. At the time I had not undergone induction. I suppose it no longer matters," Niall said while holding his arms out. He glanced to his halberd then gave the queen an embarrassed look.  
"I will have my hand maiden Una get you a room in the palace tonight," Delyth promised. "You can visit Hawk Ridge in the morning." Only the queen had a hand maiden, the position was filled by a normal palace servant that was given rein over the other servants. Seraphina and Eloryn would eventually release their ladies in waiting when they married and take a hand maiden instead.

"Duchess Iona, I would like you to meet Prime High Priest Niall Miach," Delyth said in introduction. "And I believe," she prompted the dragon.  
"I am Spyro, leader of the Skylanders," he introduced himself with a bow.  
"Delighted!" the pearl skinned and red-headed elf smiled. "I hope you have been taking care of my niece?" she asked the dragon.  
Spyro gave her an embarrassed grin, "To be honest I only met her this morning. We had a very eventful day."  
Delyth glanced back to where Eloryn was still sitting next to the other Flashwingling. "We all have."

The evening wound on with the celebration stretching well into the night. Niall and Eloryn both were re-integrated into the group and it felt as if they had never been away before long. The royal family eventually retired and the palace plaza emptied as guests drifted out either to retire themselves or join the extended celebration in the city streets. Spyro had opted to stay in Meir Valan and had been one of the first to retire; the dragon missed the chance to see Eloryn and the other Flashwingling Nikki dance with mage light and dazzle the crowds with their prismatic displays. That one moment seemed to have broken Eloryn's funk.

Eloryn yawned widely, her jaws cracked loudly with it and she dragged her feet as she walked alongside her siblings. It had taken a while but eventually Eloryn came out of her shell and resumed her role of social butterfly again. She was laughing and joking with the other lords and ladies of Meir Valan as if nothing had happened. The only difference was she had refrained from flirting, her current form wouldn't allow her to work her charm on the elven lords much to her chagrin. "It is good to be home," she said drowsily.  
Anicetus shared a look with Seraphina; at last Eloryn had said it. "We were beginning to think that maybe you did not want to be back home," the Ignitorling said.  
Eloryn made a face and shook her head, "I do. I just wanted it to be… different." She looked first to the Ignitorling then Hexling, light it was like a dream in which no one looked like they were supposed to but she knew who they were anyway. "Tell Meilyr," Eloryn began as she stopped walking. She waited for her siblings to turn back around before she continued, "Tell Meilyr I am sorry about what I said."

"You should tell him yourself," Anicetus cut off Seraphina from saying. "Certainly you cannot think you alone feel ashamed of your new skin. Meilyr was afraid his father would see it as his procrastination and clownish behavior come to life. Avon only welcomed him back with open arms and told him that no matter what he was still his son."  
"We all wonder what the determining factor for how we look now is. The difference is we have made peace with it; how long are you going to harbor your hatred?"  
Eloryn sighed, "I do not know, Sera." She lift a paw up to examine it. "It is strange how many things I took for granted that I no longer can do." She laughed suddenly, "Like applying makeup. What use do I have for lip stains if I do not have normal lips? How could I even apply it with these clumsy paws of mine?"

"It is late," Seraphina said with a yawn of her own. "I am tired and so are you," she pointed to her sister. "You can barely hold your eyes open. Go, rest. Sleep and feel better in the morning. We will talk more tomorrow about things. Just you and me."  
"And Windy?" Anicetus asked. "She will be back; you know her word is good on that."  
"Take her to Hawk Ridge when Niall returns; show her King Faolan's city as she seems to love royalty. Spyro himself might be interested if only for the trading caravan I heard had arrived. At the very least Parlan and Myrna will keep them…occupied."

Eloryn groaned loudly, "Why did Mother and Father _ever_ let them study our psionics when it was more the field of a mage? If I ever see Parlan again it will be too soon!"  
"You know where Lan has been?" Anicetus folded his arms across his chest. "With _Myrna_. He is courting her of all people! I hardly see him anymore and seeing as how I like Myrna about as much as you like Parlan it suits me fine."  
"Go to bed," Seraphina laughed as she hovered down the hall towards her room with a wave.

Meilyr snorted around the lip of the cup he was drinking out of and sent wine dribbling down his chin and through his fur. He had actually followed Niall and Crevan to a tavern to continue the celebration. Meilyr had gone with the intensive purpose of giving the priest a piece of his mind but had lost the will somewhere along the way when he had imbibed enough wine, ale and various other spirits. The Fizzling continued to laugh hard at the tale Niall was telling involving Trigger Happy and a marksman contest.

"After horribly missing the target the first four times Trigger Happy then proceeded to set up an elaborate system which he claimed would let him ricochet his coins into the intended area. Naturally by this time most of the spectators had moved on to safer venues. The Flameslingerling that had challenged him to begin with stood his ground and even humored the Core by letting him direct him where to stand."  
Crevan chuckled and set down his cup, he had paced himself and was only on his third drink of the night so his head was still fairly clear. "After others getting hit in the knees, stomach and groin with coins I would have stepped aside myself. And run the next time I saw those guns come out."  
Niall waved to a serving girl and spoke softly to her when she stopped by the table. She glanced to Meilyr and nodded before she scurried off again. "Well yes but a part of me really wanted to see what would happen next. So I remained outside the lair but planted myself behind the target knowing that was the safest place to be."

"You, you are crazy!" Meilyr hiccupped and leaned on the table while nearly spilling the remainder of his cup. "So, wha' happen?"  
"Trigger was all show. He took what seemed like an hour nudging things around, squinting at them and mumbling to himself. Finally just when the last of his audience was about to leave, he lined up his shot and fired. It went beautifully; the coin pinged off the side of the lair and rebounded off a rock before it bounced off the trunk of a dead tree and clanged around a group of practice swords."  
"But did he hit the target?" Crevan asked.  
"Missed it again," Niall laughed. "The last ricochet was off the poor Flameslingerling's forehead and as can be guessed did not go over too well. The poor lad was sent to Earth instantly and Trigger was left complaining about how 'hard head' is not a truthful statement." Niall took a long draw from his mug and finished it while Crevan and Meilyr laughed.

The serving girl returned to the table with three mugs. Niall took them, pressed the coin he owed into her hand and asked Crevan for permission to sift through his potion bag while Meilyr continued to laugh obnoxiously loud.  
"What are you looking for?" the Fizzling asked. "Do you know what each potion is for?"  
"You have labeled them," Niall replied as he held a few bottles up and squinted to make out the scrawling Crevan called writing. "I can figure it out from there. Any priest worth his salt has at least basic alchemy skills." He glanced again to Meilyr, the younger Skylander was still laughing and had his face eclipsed by his cup again. The orc found what he was looking for and mixed a few ingredients quickly into one of the drinks before he slid it to Meilyr just as his newly emptied cup hit the table. "Final round, Meilyr," the priest warned. He nudged the potions pack back towards Crevan who sat there studying him with quivering ears. "You have had enough."

"Pft," Meilyr waved with one hand as his other massive blue paw took the mug and dragged it across the table with a screech. "To progress," he hiccupped and raised his drink.  
"To reunions," Niall added with a nod.  
"To new friends," Crevan added before the three mugs clanked together. Crevan raised his to his lips but kept his eyes on Meilyr as the other Fizzling gulped down the whole drink in several goes.

Meilyr made a face, smacked his lips and squinted into the mug. "Tasted weird, wha' cha get Priest?"  
"House specialty ale," the priest nodded. He surprised Crevan by drinking his own mug dry and setting it on the table. "Care for another?"  
"Na," Meilyr shook his head and nearly fell over when the room started to spin. "I stick to mah," he never finished and wound up face first on the table with a jolt hard enough to knock the empty cups and mugs off with a clatter onto the floor.  
Niall got up quickly to pick up the discarded items then moved over to Meilyr when the serving girl came running back up with eyes wide and hands pressed to her mouth. "Help me get him into the palace please, Crevan. I had to stop the lad before he drank himself stupid."  
Crevan smirked and shook his head, of course that had been the potion's desired effect. "Does he usually drink that much?"

"I traveled with him and the three Reve children once. He was so full of spirits that he went streaking through the forest alongside the prince. They woke up in the morning with Prince Anicetus fully clothed and Meilyr wearing everything except trousers. I would rather not witness _that_ again." With Crevan's help Niall supported Meilyr on the left before he gave the serving maid another handful of coins. "Thank you, dear. That is for the drinks you missed selling by helping me stop him."  
"I uh, okay," the serving girl said as she clicked the coins in her hand. "Is he alright?"  
Niall gave her the most reassuring smile he could muster as an orc, "A minor sleeping potion. He will be right as rain in the morning complete with the cotton stuffed head that follows a night of heavy drinking." The girl looked again at the coins in her hand and gave the Skylanders a weak smile before she turned to head back to the barkeep and the till.

King Hayden Reve lay awake in bed. He tucked the sheets up under his chin when a particularly chilly draft of wind rippled the gossamer curtains that framed the window and fanned him. It wasn't that he was wide awake, the king was tired and his lids heavy but his mind was too active and his thoughts raced too much to allow him rest. The king sighed and turned to his right side, he did so carefully so as not to disturb Delyth in her sleep. Hayden faced the window now and could see the pale moonlight creeping through the thin curtains. He watched them billow into the room then flow out as the wind changed course ever so slightly. It was a nice night, perfect for the continued celebration he could just barely hear from the city streets. It was good to have all three of his children back but Eloryn's outlook troubled him.  
The king rolled again to his back and stared at the ceiling. He wanted to help all three of them regain their former appearances. What father wouldn't want to aid his children anyway he could? But this wasn't his struggle, all three of them were grown now and Anicetus himself was being groomed to take the throne one day. Hayden rolled again to his right and looked out the window once more. Somewhere out there was the answer and he was confident they would find it for _all_ Skylanders. Hayden shifted yet again with a sigh.

"If you do not quit thrashing around like a banner in the wind I am going to make you sleep in the armchair." So much for Delyth being asleep.  
"Sorry," Hayden answered with a flinch. He carefully extracted himself from the bed and strode over to the curtained window in bare feet.  
Delyth rubbed the sleep from her eyes before she sat up and drew her knees to her chest so she could rest folded arms on them. "What has you so restless, Hayden?" Possibly all the alcohol he had consumed, light knew he smelled like a tavern and still walked with a slight sway. Delyth was going to have to thank Heremon for cutting Hayden off when he did. Unfortunately it seemed he hadn't imbibed enough to sleep.  
"All three are home and I know it is not to stay. It also does not feel like I thought it would." Hayden turned around with a hand to his forehead, his thoughts were clearing but he still felt woozy. He silently cursed his weakness and willingness to turn to the drink.  
"Our children," Delyth gave a knowing nod. "Hayden, my love," Delyth sighed as she slid out of bed and padded quietly up behind him. The queen wrapped her arms around Hayden's chest and placed her forehead against his shoulder. "You have let the news from Uzern stir your imagination. Let it go. Have we not had those very hopes since the beginning? Why is getting confirmation from the beyond that it is possible so exciting to you?"

Hayden raised one hand to stroke Delyth's slender fingers where they rested on his breast. "It makes it feel closer, Delyth. It makes me wonder if the answer to the curse lies in Tour itself, buried from us and forgotten. Does Kaos have his suspicions and that is why he sends his scouts? Certainly he cannot even think it true or we would have no peace at all from him. The answer must lie elsewhere and who knows how long it will take to find. I want to send seekers out to glean information from all corners of Skylands. How else will we find even a hint of where the answer might be?"  
"All very valid questions, my love. As much as I want to help our children and in turn all Skylanders this is better suited for their skills. Our involvement will not go unnoticed by Kaos; not that the Skylanders themselves will be successful at masking their movements. You understand of course that this is as much a way to protect Tour as it is the rest of Skylands. Anything we do will draw attention from other powers in Skylands and bring them to aid us in freeing the Skylanders. The larger a threat Kaos perceives the quicker his hand will be forced and he will retaliate swift vengeance. Make no mistake, as bumbling and simple as he seems he is a dangerous enemy for his sheer strength of numbers alone. You can still drown in a single cup of water no matter how harmless it may look."

Hayden snorted, "I hate sitting here idle, Delyth. So we simply leave this task to the Skylanders, to our _children_? Should we not repay the Skylander for all they have done or protect our children by setting out to find this answer?"  
Delyth rose to her toes to rest her chin on her husband's shoulder and squeezed him tighter. "Search Tour if you must. If you _do_ send seekers out beyond our continent then make sure they carry nothing with them to link them to Tour or Meir Valan. Chose only those without families, if they do have families a member _must_ be a Skylander for use as a cover. No one here must know where they go or why and no one beyond Meir Valan either. Only you, I and the individuals chosen are privy to this information. The less talk there is the better. They must act alone and only rely on those that depart with them. This protects our people and the rest of Skylands if Kaos cannot link them to anyone if the unthinkable should happen."

The king chuckled and slipped out of Delyth's embrace before he turned around to kiss her and toy with her hair. "You always were the voice of reason and subtlety." Hayden smiled at Delyth and cupped her cheek gently, "Light you are beautiful. How did I ever manage to convince you to stay with me through the centuries?"  
"You complete me," Delyth replied as she wound her fingers with his. "Two halves that make a whole. We add balance to one another and so long as we continue to make decisions together we will always belong together."  
Hayden closed his eyes and rest his forehead against Delyth's. "Seraphina will search as well. You know her as well as I. Eloryn will push her and Anicetus will try to take the lead. They hold company with Cores and among them is the leader of the Skylanders himself. They will gather information useful in our own attempts. If we are to employ multiple teams or involve communications it will be useful. But that will be risky," Hayden said softly as he opened his eyes to find Delyth watching him carefully. "We must operate completely on our own to ensure at least one group will have success. It matters not if it is Skylanders or our seekers. So long as one succeeds then we all do."

Delyth's smile widened, "That is what I would have told you had you not reached the conclusion yourself. The Skylanders will be a much more visible team and Kaos will focus on them leaving our own efforts shrouded and undetected. I am terrified to use my children as cover but also confident in them. Kaos cannot truly hurt them so long as they can retreat to Earth as a means of escape. If we succeed that will change." The queen inhaled deeply and let out her breath slowly, it was both exciting and frightening.  
The dark haired eirian kissed his wife's forehead and pulled away at last. "I think I can sleep now. We will discuss this further once my mind is completely free from what I drank."

Eloryn's white head peeked around the corner before she shuffled into the hall. She felt like she was sneaking around in her own home. After finding Morwen asleep on the couch in her sitting room Eloryn had no desire to be in her rooms. The princess felt for Morwen's grief over her sister Teranika but was in no mood to deal with the moping lady in waiting. Morwen had been awoken by Eloryn's sharp intake of breath when she saw her and now the Flashwingling was flitting through the halls in an effort to lose Morwen. Eloryn wasn't even sure her cousin had made it out of the room in time to see which way she had ran off but she didn't want to take any chances. If need be Eloryn would slip into one of the unused guest rooms to retire. She certainly didn't feel like she should be sleeping in her own bed, the sharp edges on some of her crystalline horns and spikes could shred the sheets and Eloryn wanted her room to remain pristine for her _real _return.

Foot falls made her heart sink and the princess tried to hide away in a tiny niche that normally was occupied by decorative armor or some other show piece that was mysteriously missing. In order to flatten herself into the rounded out cubby the Flashwingling had to rise up on her hind legs and press her belly to the wall. Her wings were tucked as tightly against her as possible and kept still so the clinking of crystal wouldn't give her away. Eloryn closed her eyes and prayed with all her might she would remain hidden, she nearly held her breath to further her efforts.

Niall Miach held a hand to his mouth as his jaws cracked with yet another monstrous yawn. He wasn't weary because of a long day but rather from the drinks he had indulged himself with. The priest had no idea that being back on Tour would give him so many regrets about not returning sooner. Meeting with Crevan, a fellow Hawk Ridge resident, only seemed to make him realize how childish he had been. The orc slowed his pace when he saw a quivering prism of light on the wall to his left. He approached it and laid a hand on it before looking around the hall to see what had caused it. The orc couldn't miss the Flashwingling pressed against the other wall with her eyes shut so tightly her features were pinched. The jewelry she wore let him know it was Princess Eloryn. Niall almost opened his mouth to ask her what she was doing but decided better of it; she obviously didn't want to be social and he wanted to retire for the night. If only Niall could find the blasted hall he had been assigned to.  
The orc shook his head and continued his search; he would let the princess be to deal with whatever issue it was that had her trying to hide in plain sight.

Eloryn waited for what felt like hours before she dared to breathe and move. Her eyes widened as she lost her balance. The dragon's wings shot out to both sides and her front paws scrabbled for purchase on the wall before she landed hard on her back with a thump and clatter of crystal. The wind was knocked out of Eloryn and her tail was sore from the impact. Eventually she was able to suck breath in and laid there belly up panting hard for a while.  
"Ugh," the pale dragon groaned as she rolled to one side and tucked her wing under her so she could stand again. She heard another sound and froze part-way through the act of standing. When nothing came of it Eloryn finally righted herself and took off in a run down the hall in the direction opposite the one her unknown visitor had taken. Hopefully Morwen was still searching for her; Eloryn had decided her rooms were a fine place to retire after all. She was ready if nothing else; the thought of getting caught sneaking about the halls as if she didn't belong in the palace wasn't an appealing one.


	19. Here and Now

**Here and Now**

It wasn't until breakfast was out of the way did the Skylanders assemble again in the palace plaza. Spyro stood off to the side watching the old friends converse and share stories of their experiences. The dragon found the scene inspiring and couldn't help but grin at the antics in the smaller groups everyone had clumped up into. He knew the group wasn't complete, they were missing four other members and Spyro hoped with every fiber of his being that they found them. The purple dragon sat on his haunches and ruffled his wings, he had never expected to work so closely with anyone not a part of his original team but there he was ready to see what the day brought them. Spyro raised his head to the sky and basked in the warmth of the sun, Eon had been supportive of Spyro sticking by these surprising individuals and had only asked to be kept abreast of new developments. Of course Spyro fully intended to bring them in to Eon's citadel and speak with the Grandmaster themselves so they would feel welcome to come and go as they pleased.

"What'd we miss?"  
Spyro was startled by the voice suddenly behind him and nearly lashed out with his tail before he whipped around quickly. It was the red scarf wearing Whirlwindling Windy and she had brought another friend. "Stealth?" Spyro ventured forth a guess.  
"Na," the aqua colored elf said with a wave. She was dressed in more trendy clothing and wore her hair down. "I would have thought the fact I ditched the outfit would have given it away. Does Stealth _ever_ remove her mask or does she ninja-eat through it?"  
"Ninja-eat," Spyro replied slowly with a blink. "I suppose she does. I've _never_ seen her take it off."

"Anyway, I'm Sprint," the Stealthling said with her hands at her sides and a bow. "Windy said I might meet you, Spyro himself I presume?" she asked as she righted her posture again.  
"The one and only," the dragon grinned as he puffed his chest out.  
Sprint nodded and turned in a full circle to take in her surroundings. "Nice digs."  
"Er, not mine. You want to speak to the royal family. The Hexling, Ignitorling and Flashwingling." Spyro tilted his head towards them, his horn almost like a pointing finger. Seraphina again looked more like a priestess than princess though she had left her staff behind. Eloryn was still wearing the gold chains from the night before and had added a wide bangle around her neck as well as four along the length of her tail. Anicetus had only his sword to set him apart from others of his type.  
"Hey!" Windy called out suddenly, "I see a new face!" She bound off to meet up with the Reve family and investigate the orc. "Come on Sprint, its cool!"

"This must be Windy, I presume?" Niall asked as the grinning hybrid bounced to a stop near where he was speaking to Seraphina and Eloryn.  
"Yep!" she chirped happily. "Who are you?"  
"This is Niall, one of the other friends we had been searching for. Can you believe it; he has the same Portal Master as Spyro!" Seraphina laughed. "And who might your friend be?" she asked as she looked to the Stealthling and gave her a nod of acknowledgement.  
"Sprint," the elf said with her hand out. "I'm guessing you're Princess Seraphina. Windy's been talking about you non-stop since she first met you. You must have made an impression to keep her in Skylands day and night."

"I suppose so," the princess said sheepishly. Seraphina took the other elf by the elbow in Tour fashion for a shake that seemed awkward at first to Sprint until she realized she was supposed to take the Hexling's elbow in turn. "This is my sister Eloryn," the royal elf said in introduction once she had released Sprint's arm. "My brother Anicetus is over there with the two Fizzlings. Meilyr is in the armor, Crevan is your standard issue Pop Fizzling."  
"He needs a hat," Sprint said with a nod. "You know something to set him apart. I bet he could pull off a fedora."  
"Oh! I know a hat store that would have one too!" Windy chimed in. "We should get it for him as a surprise. I like Crevan, he's the cheese. Meilyr is funnier though."  
Eloryn looked from Windy to Seraphina, an unspoken _really?_ in her eyes.  
"Meilyr is… something else," Niall smirked.

Seraphina clasped her hands in front of her and looked between Windy and Sprint, "I apologize, I had promised to spend some time with Eloryn this morning. Just the two of us." She looked to her sister; Eloryn was eying the two strangers suspiciously. "Niall was going to return to Hawk Ridge today I believe and Windy, there is a gargoyle caravan in the city if you are interested in meeting them."  
Sprint's eyes widened, "You weren't kidding," she turned to Windy. "Real live gargoyles? I just got here and already I'm seeing things I could never have imagined."  
Niall pursed his lips and looked at the two Skylanders he had just met for the first time. "Allow me to see if Crevan is willing to escort the ladies. He will be able to impress upon them some of the ah, finer issues of gargoyle culture."  
Windy was bouncing yet again, oh the stories she was going to have all because of the things she had found hidden on Tour.

While Niall departed with the group of Windy, Crevan and Sprint to Hawk Ridge the High Priest wouldn't remain in their company for long. The quartet had rented a trekker drawn cart for easier travel and they bounced lightly as the wheels rolled over uneven paving stones on the road that linked the two kingdoms and their capital cities.  
"I'm going to admit," Sprint said as she looked from Meir Valan up the ridge that gave Hawk Ridge its name, "I've never heard of two kingdoms being so close to one another before. Their owned lands, sure, but their capitals within sight of one another? The cities must get along _very_ well."  
The orc tucked his halberd between his shoulder and neck before he nodded, "They were founded at the same time by friends that had explored the area together but had different ideas on how to govern settlers. So they agreed to disagree and built their settlements next to one another for protection. As time passed the populations grew and the capital cities were born. Traditionally the rulers of each city hold council with those of the other on issues that affect the people. They welcome the insight from the other kingdom and sometimes the ideas they come up with together end up providing the most benefit for the people. Trade flows easily between the two and the cities are ruled in such a way that residents of Meir Valan will find Hawk Ridge familiar and comfortable just as well as Hawk Ridge residents find Meir Valan."

Windy wrinkled up her nose, "So how come they don't become one gigantic city?" It made sense to her at least.  
Niall chuckled, "It is a family affair. The Youngs have ruled Hawk Ridge since the beginning as have the Reves similarly overseen Meir Valan. Some have called us the twin cities and we rather enjoy the moniker. Maybe one day the two will become one but for now the way things are is comfortable. A marriage between the two families would be the first step, something that has never happened in the history of our kingdoms."  
Sprint leaned back in the wooden bench she sat upon in the cart and looked to Crevan. "You're a quiet one."  
"Niall is better at story telling than me," the Fizzling said as he held his hands out. "And as we are going to separate soon from him I thought it better to allow you ladies a chance to speak to him before hand."

"So what's the deal with being a priest?" Windy asked as she turned hopeful eyes on Niall. "What _makes_ you one and different from a mage?"  
"Mainly the teachings. We can do anything a mage can but we study the light, how the darkness taints and affects people and how to utilize the light to cleanse things the darkness has corrupted. Mages might learn how to do the same but traditionally the teachings are kept for those that wish to become priests. We devote ourselves to fighting the spread of darkness."  
"Ah, I see," Sprint replied. She gripped the side of the cart when a particular nasty bump tossed her clear off the seat and made her land hard on her backside. "Skylanders protect from all threats and take care of those that would use the darkness. You clean up after them and hope to prevent malevolent forces from ever becoming too powerful."

"A full time job that I assume has gotten somewhat easier since Kaos has decided the darkness was not a worthy enough tool. That is a hopeful sign in of itself," the orc explained as he wedged the end of his halberd into the floor boards of the cart. "Still the darkness can spread through the hearts of those that let it in. Our job will never be fully finished with."  
"Nor will a Skylander's," Crevan said after a moment of silence.

It had been Eloryn's idea to walk beyond the walls of Meir Valan. While it was true she would have preferred the markets or even the Climbing Garden the younger princess had sought more privacy than those public destinations could provide. She watched her crystalized feet step through the tall grasses and hardly felt the tips brush her belly as she moved. Behind her was an obvious path through the grass where her heavy footfalls had stamped it down and left broken stalks.  
Seraphina glided easily through the tall, bright green stalks. The only evidence of her passing was the grass swaying back into place behind her. As her feet didn't touch the ground nothing was broken.

The sisters so far were silent, both were enjoying the early morning rays of sun and would look up to greet it each time they passed out from under the dancing shadow of a tree.  
"You look peaceful," Eloryn finally broke the silence.  
"I am," Seraphina replied with eyes closed. She inhaled deeply and a smile spread across her face. "And you are in brighter spirits."  
"I…am," Eloryn nodded. Oh the sun was deliciously warm on her pearly scales. She inhaled deeply, as a Flashwingling her sense of smell was more acute. She could smell the small animals that were upwind of her as well as Seraphina. The most surprising thing about her sister was how she didn't smell like a corpse. Eloryn was grateful for that, the magic used to make undead like Cynder and Hex must be far stronger than that used to reanimate lesser creatures like zombies. "I finally feel like I am home. And people accept me as I am. I guess, I guess I just needed people that were like me in my company. I am sorry, sister, for how I snapped at you and Anicetus."

Seraphina reached out to thump her sister on a scaly shoulder, "We are siblings. We have fought before. I did not take it personally nor did Anicetus although he will want to hear your apology himself."  
Eloryn nodded, "I will tell him. And I will apologize to Meilyr. I guess Windy needs one too. I bet I made a wonderful first impression on her."  
"So long as she does not call you Helen you will be fine."  
"You are going to have to explain that one to me."  
Seraphina chuckled, "There is much to tell you. Let me start at the beginning with the time I met Crevan. Who also might be in need of an apology by the way."

"I told you! I am clumsy with the sword now," Meilyr grumbled as he dropped the blade. "These things are as small as toothpicks in my hands," he grunted after picking it back up. The Fizzling even began to pick his teeth to illustrate.  
Anicetus lowered his blade and paced about for a moment in obvious agitation. "I wanted to prevent you from getting rusty, that is all," the prince sighed in irritation. "Look, you have armor now. Why not further set yourself apart from the other Fizzlings and pick up the blade again?" He pointed with his own to Meilyr.  
The Fizzling cringed; his friend was just trying to make him feel more like himself. "You get me a larger sword and maybe."  
"Then I will," Anicetus said as he re-sheathed his sword.

"Later," Meilyr said with a dismissive wave. "I am not in the mood for sparring right now." He looked again to the diminutive sword in his hand. Well, the sword was a normal size but Meilyr wasn't. The gremlin looked to Anicetus, his friend appeared lost in thought and Meilyr only hoped he wasn't upset over the whole thing.  
"I am sorry, Meilyr," Anicetus sighed with flames that faded first to green then a pale blue. "With everyone gone their separate ways today I feel nervous, like something akin to what happened to Rafer and Teranika will befall us." Even Spyro had made his exit about the time the other two groups set out when he realized it was going to be a lazy day. Only Anicetus and Meilyr were still in Meir Valan.  
"Tell you what," the Fizzling said as he shouldered the blade, "How about just the two of us sightsee today? We could travel anywhere in Skylands. Look for trouble and swoop in to rescue anyone in distress. Like the good old days, what do you say Ani?"

The Ignitorling drummed his fingers on the crosspiece of his sword; the metal clinked and rang each time. "I want to visit Eon's Citadel first. I think it time we speak to the Grandmaster about the events of Uzern. Spyro said he and Cynder had visited with Eon but I feel as if we are slighting Eon by not speaking to him personally." Anicetus had turned to leave the practice yard before he stopped and turned quick on Meilyr, "All of the Cores sans the Swap Force have been found. Eon speaks to _every_ new Portal Master. He can still access their Skylander rosters even after they no longer need his tutoring. Eon can find _any_ Skylander if he so desires."

"Ani," Meilyr said slowly, "One of the first things we learned when we returned was that Eon cannot be expected to hunt down everyone. There are a lot of us and it takes time to search. That was why Sky Arc was created, to put the power of searching into our hands and leave Eon free to tutor new Portal Masters as well as continue to guide the youngest of them."  
"The way I see it, he owes us for the whole Hex fiasco."  
Meilyr folded his arms across his chest and scowled at the prince, "I put up with her far longer than you and even I fail to harbor illusions about Eon 'owing' me anything. This sounds like something _I_ would try to use against another."  
"Good, then I will say it was your idea," the prince said before he turned and strode out of the practice yard.  
Meilyr rolled his eyes before he unfolded his arms and broke into a trot after the prince.

Anicetus couldn't get over how lucky he was to have Issac as his Portal Master. Now that the prince had purpose to his comings and goings in Skylands he had all but given up on balloons and airships in favor of the portals. So it was through the use of one that he and Meilyr found themselves on Eon's personal island and at the docks.  
The area was bustling, a few cargo ships had docked and the mabu workers aboard them hurried about their tasks without a second thought on the Skylanders in the area. Ships were loaded and unloaded in turn, some bound for other areas and some at their final destination.

The interior of the island was just as busy. There was a great deal of Skylanders in the fields beyond Eon's tower doing everything from picnicking to practicing.  
"Copies and Cores, I would guess," Anicetus said in reply to Meilyr's question. He had seen two and three faces of the same so it had to mean that the copies were allowed entry as well.  
"Probably copies that have the same Portal Master as a Core," Meilyr added his own thoughts. He hadn't noticed Anicetus had begun to make way inland and the gremlin had to run to catch up. For Meilyr it was easier to move like an ape with his hands helping propel him forward just as much as his feet to get the most out of his speed. He always felt self-conscious about it when he did it but it was better than getting left behind.

Anicetus barely turned his head to the side when Meilyr had reached him and rose up again to walk normally. "Did you even give a thought to how we are going to get in?" the blue gremlin asked his friend.  
"Relax, Mei. I have it under control," the prince assured him.  
Meilyr looked up to the citadel, it was a heavily fortified building that might have looked better in the heart of a city rather than sitting alone on an otherwise open island. Eon was only the latest inhabitant of it, it was connected to the ruins that surrounded the Core of Light and was probably just as old as them but in a much better state of repair. "Looks different in the daytime," Meilyr commented. He looked back the way they had come to the docks and the grassy fields that made up the rest of the island. Now that he thought about it the Fizzling did see the remains of other structures dotting the area. Some looked like boulders and others were obviously the remains of walls. Maybe at one time there had been a city around the fortress, now it was just remnants that were barely recognizable as crafted structures.

"State your name and your business," the gruff voice of a Chop Chopling came the moment the duo met the edge of the drawbridge and the moat it crossed. It might very well have been the real Chop Chop; it was hard to be sure without asking and possibly offending the Skylander. He looked like any others of the type, helm and bits of armor that did nothing to hide the fact he was just a skeleton with a sword and shield.  
"Prince Anicetus Reve of Meir Valan," the Ignitorling said with a bow. "My personal guard Meilyr De'clan will be escorting me. We seek the council of Grandmaster Eon for a rather sensitive subject."  
The metal and bone undead soldier remained motionless and silent in front of the path. "Yes, if you are indeed who you claim to be then your access will be granted."  
"Excellent," Anicetus said as he tried to step around the arkeyan.  
"Let me reiterate," the solider said as he put his shield arm out to impede the prince's progress. "I said if you _are_ who you claim to be your access _will be_ granted. I will need proof of your claim." He tapped the hilt of his sword as a promise that he _would_ draw it next if the visitors failed to heed his warning.  
"By the light," Anicetus snapped. He tried to rub his eyes but his hand went awkwardly into his helm instead.

"Who can vouch for you?" Was that a tinge of amusement in the undead soldier's voice?  
"Um, Spyro, Cynder, Camo and Hex. Oh! Ignitor himself! I was with him the day of the troll movement that led to the ball Eon held in our honor and that was the same night Hex was assigned to Princess Seraphina Reve of Meir Va-"  
"Say no more," the arkeyan cut off Meilyr. "You will wait here," he pointed to the spot they stood at. "If you move your entry will be denied." Without another word the undead construct turned on his heel and clopped across the drawbridge towards the citadel's entrance.  
"Yes, you really got us in," Meilyr said sarcastically.  
"Shut up, Mei," Anicetus growled at him.

A moment later and the door opened again, the duo from Meir Valan was surprised to see the rolling form of Drill Sargent speed down the ramp right at them.  
"I am moving," Meilyr said. All he did was step to the side but it still might count as a move in Chop Chop's eyes.  
"Pardon," Drill Sargent's mechanical voice droned as he zipped past the two.  
Anicetus's head swiveled back up when Chop Chop re-emerged. "You wait until Drill Sargent has found one of the Cores you named and returned with them."  
The prince folded his arms across his chest in equal parts defiance and irritation. Chop Chop simply stood there like a statue once more.

Sprint watched the retreating form of Niall once the group had passed the gates of Hawk Ridge. The Stealthling had only just met all of these new friends Windy had made but she could already see just how different they were from Windy's usual crew. "You landed yourself in some hardcore stuff, Win," she told the Whirlwindling. Her eyes were ever moving and sweeping over the buildings and the way they were placed around the trees, some even seemed to have trees growing up from their centers.  
"I know right!" Windy said happily. "Ain't it honkin' bruce? I feel like I'm _doing_ something now rather than drifting about searching for trolls or drow terrorizing small islands in their spare time."  
Crevan stood politely to the side and took the opportunity to speak when the two began to point at different things to draw their friend's attention to it. "If you are ready, ladies, I will happily escort you to the markets."  
Windy turned around with a grin, "If Hawk Ridge is anything like Meir Valan this is gonna be _sweet_."

The city had a different style to its buildings. Whereas Meir Valan favored white stone of multiple types and origins, Hawk Ridge had more earthly tones. They too used stone but this stone ranged from soft cream colors to rich reddish brown. Meir Valan had lace-like carvings decorating doors and windows while Hawk Ridge had arch-work tracks of stone to frame the structures and mosaic tiles radiating out in designs. Hawk Ridge buildings were also quite long and narrow with only the most prestigious buildings possessing more than three stories. Both cities utilized tiles for their roofs but Hawk Ridge's looked more like scale mail while Meir Valan employed the use of imbrex and tegula tiles, a sort of flat pattern with raised parts to hide the tile joints and waterproof them.

Hawk Ridge's streets were just as bustling and the trees still worked into the city's design and flow. Cobblestone roads were in use more than paving stone roads in Hawk Ridge. The wheels of carts made a much different sound on the pebbled surface. The people were no different, friendly faces and plenty of smiles as they wound their way through the crowded city streets.  
Sprint stepped to the side as a cart rumbled past being drawn by reptilian trekkers. "Busy city," the Stealthling murmured as she stepped back next to Windy and Crevan.  
"Wait until you see the open markets," Crevan grinned. "Oh Meir Valan has their own as well but here it truly is an open market."

Open market meant temporary stalls set up in a very large and open area of town that was just as much hard packed dirt or wooden planks as it was cobblestone road. The only thing that broke up an otherwise perfectly circular ring of lean-tos and parked carts was the dotting of trees lined by stone benches and topiaries. Hawkers were out crying their wares, some with neck trays that walked alongside potential buyers in an effort to encourage purchase. And there among the elves of different origins, mabu, molekin and other races was one that stood out from the rest - the gargoyles.  
Some individuals had elongated and square faces with hooves for feet, some were feathery with bird heads and feet, a few looked like dragons that had learned to walk on two legs and yet others were feline in features. The one thing they all shared was wings, bat style for the equine, reptilian and feline faced individuals and feathered for their avian cousins. Sometimes the wings were attached to the undersides of arms rather than their own separate limbs. Some had horns and quills instead of hair, those without horns often had wild manes done in many styles.

"Whoa," Windy said with her jaw nearly on the floor. They were like a mix of dragon and the race their faces were patterned after in her eyes. Not hybrids but a whole other race that had always looked as such. She saw them smile and converse with the Hawk Ridge citizens as they showed off their wares and haggled for prices. "Are they real?" she asked with her ears back and a disbelieving look in her eyes.  
"Go introduce yourself!" Crevan said with a nudge to her wing. "You are a Skylander; they will likely be just as fascinated with you as you are of them!" It was Sprint that moved forward first, the Stealthling had the wonder on her face best seen in children. For Crevan their reactions had been the best part of the journey so far.

"Welcome little lady!" a portly horse-faced male gargoyle the color of chocolate smiled warmly. To Windy's surprise he bore a single horn much like a unicorn but with an additional branch to it for two points. Rather than hair on his head the gargoyle bore quills much like a porcupine or hedgehog. His bat wings were covered with fine velvet hair, a feline based gargoyle behind him had smooth leathery wings and a while mane of hair. The equine facing Windy removed the pipe he had between his surprisingly sharp teeth and tilted his head as he studied the Whirlwindling. His eyes flashed then to Sprint and finally Crevan. "Skylanders!" he exclaimed with widened eyes.  
The gargoyle bowed his head in respect to the trio before he righted himself and once again clamped his teeth on the pitted end of his pipe. He took a few puffs then asked, "What might I help you with today, friends?" He puffed out a few wisps of smoke as he propped his hands on his hips and looked between the three Skylanders.

"My friends have never before seen gargoyles," Crevan said with hands extended to the ladies. "Would you be willing to tell them a little about yourself and your people?"  
The gargoyle chuckled and kicked out a crate with a hoofed foot before he made a fuss of lowering his bulk onto it. The crate squealed in protest as if it would break but the gargoyle didn't seem worried at all as his tail wrapped up around in front of his legs to swat a fly with the tuft of hair at the end. Despite the fact he appeared very amiable the gargoyle was going to cautiously divulge information. Rumors of gargoyles on Tour were common; it was rare that anyone believed the traveling merchant tales about them however.

"I am Laughing Bull. I hail from the Wolf Clan out east from here," the gargoyle began as he tapped soot out of his pipe. He pressed fresh leaves into the pipe with thick clawed fingers and puffed at the embers he had left behind to ignite the new stash. "We are a nomadic tribe that stays in the country of Atlee, under the protection of Haven's king. Or queen as the case may be."  
"Oh! Uzern!" Windy gasped.  
"No," Laughing Bull shook his head, "we leave the elven holy city alone. It is not our place to tread on their sacred ground. As they respect our boundaries so too do we respect theirs. My clan patrols their borders for them and trades often with the other kingdoms before trading again with Atlee's cities and citizens. We have winter homes and summer homes, an unusual practice for my people. Most other clans are like the elves of this city and have built permanent homes. We move in a caravan with our homes nothing more than collapsible tents that travel with us." Laughing Bull paused to raise his leg and scratch at a wooly fetlock joint just above his hoof. Other than the hair on his velvet wings and the tufts of fur on his feet and tail the gargoyle was hairless. "Not a single one of us is not a trained fighter. From our warriors," he motioned to himself, "To our magisters, gargoyle magic users I mean, and our mentalists the... strategists."

Only Crevan caught his omission of the word psionic and gave a nod that the gargoyle understood as an adequate alteration. Windy might not have noticed and Crevan was glad she didn't say anything. So far she was holding her tongue on what she had learned in Uzern.  
"We are highly skilled in the art of combat and things such as trading or artistry are hobbies to supplement our skills." Laughing Bull puffed on his pipe a few more times and squinted at Windy in particular. In Laughing Bull's eyes most of the hybrids could have been gargoyles if they were bipeds rather than quadrupeds.

"We are all restricted to Tour now. The clans are so few but we are still strong in numbers within them. I must warn you however, should you ever meet one of us hailing from the Shadow Clan do not engage them in anything. They will look at you as an inferior creature and if not kill you they will enslave you." The equine fell silent when Sprint and Windy could only stare at him wide-eyed. "I could go much deeper into our traditions but some require much explaining and I seriously doubt you are here to hear an old gargoyle talk about himself. So, what might Skylanders be interested in for purchase?" He tapped out his pipe again and squinted at the trio as he took a long draw.

"Jewelry," Sprint said quickly. She had taken a liking to Windy's moonstone pendant from Meir Valan and was looking to find a souvenir for herself.  
"Then I have just the thing," Laughing Bull said with a raised finger for emphasis. He stretched out to the stand he had sat by and pulled out a tray full of trinkets. Necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings made from gold, silver and even more magical metals and gems. "Have a look, my dear. You need only ask about any piece and I will tell you the story behind it."  
The Stealthling's eyes were wide as she looked at the beautiful items. Gargoyle artisans worked with bold shapes and thick, natural designs. Some of the stones were sliced geodes that had been highly polished and others finely cut precious gems. They used metals in colors Sprint wasn't familiar with but everything had that unique beauty to it that she found appealing. "Thank you Crevan," she murmured to the Fizzling as she studied the pieces. Yes, she would find something to take back to Krystal's other Skylanders and show off.

Eloryn's wing was pressed into Seraphina's back; the Hexling could hear her sister growling menacingly at the drow that had surrounded them suddenly. Where had they come from? How could they have gotten so close to Meir Valan and Hawk Ridge without the rangers that patrolled the woods finding them first? Seraphina moved when she felt Eloryn tense up and the Flashwingling let loose a barrage of shards from her tail. Seraphina missed her staff suddenly; she had left it at home but regretted it now. That was as much a style of her combat as slinging elements around had been.  
"Don't just stand there you fools!" one of the three goliath drow yelled. He crashed his gauntlets together and roared before the energy shields activated and he rushed the two Skylanders.

Seraphina had already moved on to engage others and left Eloryn with the charging goliath. The dragon jumped up and over the charging brute before she whirled around, slammed her wings together in front of her and fired out shards in every direction but forward to wound or at least put on the defensive the other drow. Seraphina had yet to attack and Eloryn just did manage to glimpse a very horrified expression on her face then hesitation before she used a phantom orb. Satisfied that Seraphina would be alright Eloryn turned her attention back to the goliath that had focused on her.  
"Pretty wings ya got there," he grinned lewdly. "Bet I can sell the gems and make a fat profit once I rip em off you!"  
Eloryn bared her teeth and lowered her head before she raised her wings high and summoned up a massive crystal cluster that shone with its own brilliant light. The beams washed over everything in their path and sliced through screaming drow on all sides. The goliath in front of Eloryn as well as the two near her sister engaged their shields and survived the attack. Any of the sword or lance toting individuals that had been quick enough took cover behind their larger brethren for protection.

The attack from her sister would have severely wounded Seraphina too if she hadn't erected a bone wall just in time. Still the beams that spun back around caused fissures to appear in the structure and forced Seraphina to raise a second as a precaution. She furrowed her brow as she released a rapid barrage of phantom orbs up and over the wall to rain down behind the shielded goliaths. Several cowering drow behind them were hit and the result was a stumble out into Eloryn's crystal lighthouse beams. The goliaths too took damage but stoically held their ground and refused to move their shields. In the eyes of the massive drow the phantom orbs were the weaker attack and they would survive them much easier. Seraphina ignored them for the moment and increased her range to land attacks behind the other defensive shield the third goliath held. It had much the same results, normal sized drow stumbled out and found themselves bisected or at least gravely wounded by Eloryn's searing light.

The attack took a lot of effort to maintain, Eloryn's concentration slipped and her crystal structure exploded into razor shards. Her wings and hide protected her but the goliath directly in front of her wasn't so lucky. His shield was focused up higher above his knees. With the projectiles suddenly in the picture he found his shins painfully riddled with razor sharp shards.  
The goliath howled and crouched down to further shield himself as those combatants behind him that weren't gravely wounded raced out to engage the Flashwingling. Quickly the brute pulled out the shards he could, the less that continued to burrow into his flesh when he moved the better. Still he was going to end up staggering rather than charging. The fight was not going in the favor of the drow.

With a grin Eloryn once again raised her wings as she balanced on a single hind foot and went into a rapid spin. The razor tips of her wings flashed by in each rotation as did her claws and she steadily moved towards the drow. Some thought they could find an opening in the whirling dance of death and foolishly extended weapons. They only became dislodged from their grip when the stronger crystal structures wrenched them away and tossed them to the ground. A few drow stupidly stood their ground and were rewarded with a sever shredding for it. Eloryn continued to spin; it was amazing how long she could do it without becoming dizzy. Once the drow caught on and moved out of the way she slowed and stopped all without stumbling or the need to recover from a wave of dizziness.

One goliath was done, he had never seen the attack coming as he had foolishly been focused on Seraphina. Eloryn raked her claws across his face to ensure he wasn't faking and when he failed to move she understood he was dead. The Flashwingling cried out in pain and terror when she was struck from behind by the howling charge the other goliath managed. Eloryn skidded across the grass and left broken blades as well as a rut in her wake. She groaned heavily and staggered to her feet in time to avoid a stomp meant to break her neck and crush her windpipe.  
"Die!" the goliath roared. His shins were all but shredded by the crystals that had exploded outward from Eloryn's collapsed crystal lighthouse but he had managed to ignore it anyway.  
Eloryn grit her teeth and fired crystal shards rapidly at the goliath and the two swordsmen that were still standing. She was close enough to feel the healing benefit from the shards and while they were held at bay she was getting her strength back. The swordsmen went down and Eloryn rushed the goliath before he could recover.

Trapped behind multiple walls of spiked bones the third goliath could only shout obscenities at the Hexling. She ignored him in favor of the more agile and quick normal sized drow. The unit was small and ill-prepared for the Skylanders. They were most likely supposed to be a stealth unit that had gotten ahead of themselves when they found Skylanders.  
Seraphina took a cue from Eloryn and spun herself around a few times while slinging phantom orbs out. When the drow dodged or otherwise switched to defense the princess charged a skull rain attack and sent the objects crashing down hard on the heads of foes. Her expression was grim and at times it was hard to tell where her attacks were being aimed as the Hexling didn't make any hand motions to indicate. Without that warning the drow were even more vulnerable.

Seraphina was taken by surprise when one of the more agile drow threw his sword to the ground and cupped his hands before casting a wind spell. The Hexling was pushed backward easily, without the ability to dig her heels in and brace she felt like a leaf in the wind. The princess summoned a single skull, stuffed a phantom orb in it and threw it at the drow before she raised another bone wall to cut down the force of the wind. The skull hit the drow in his outstretched hands then exploded. The dark elf howled as he pulled his ruined hands back, he wouldn't be able to wield a weapon or cast again with a wound like that. There were other drow to contend with now however, with the caster unable to lash out they moved in to try and surround the Hexling and cut her off from retreat.

Suddenly Eloryn bowled over a few drow that were too focused on her sister to pay her any mind. The goliaths she had faced were down for the count, one moved not at all and the other writhed weakly with an ugly wound on the side of his head and enough crystals embedded in him to make him look to be made of them.  
"Fall back!" the trapped goliath commanded. "Release me and fall back!" he snapped. The drow took to ramming the bones in an effort to break them. He got his fair share of puncture marks and scratches from the thorns that dotted the large bone structures.  
Seraphina calmly glided up to him, another skull rain attack held as a maelstrom around her to knock back anything that came too close. She reached through the wall that bowed out to grant her passage before she grabbed the goliath by the scarf he wore and pulled him forward forcefully to crack his head against the bone wall. "What are you doing out here?" she demanded. Seraphina released the drow and stepped back; her bone wall resumed its former shape and held the drow's head uncomfortably low in their thorny embrace.

The goliath was dazed and could hardly believe the slight frame of the Hexling had so much physical strength in her. "Kaos's orders," he croaked. That was all he planned to give her and it was an obvious answer.  
"What is his interest in Tour?" the princess snapped before she moved in and slammed him against the wall for a second time. This time he jerked back before she could trap his head between bones.  
"Subjugation and integration of their armies," the goliath groaned. There was a sharp pain between his eyes now and his vision didn't seem to be able to clear no matter how many times he blinked.

"Take him prisoner for more information. Commander Roghallach will want to question him thoroughly," Eloryn said as she walked up next to her sister. The other drow were motionless, either from Seraphina's efforts or Eloryn's.  
"You are sure they have been finished?" Seraphina asked without looking away from the goliath.  
Eloryn hesitated, "You know how I hate finishing an opponent off."  
Seraphina sighed, she hated it too. In the heat of battle was one thing but cold blood was another. "Then help me ensure they are properly restrained and we will make sure soldiers or rangers are dispatched to the area.

"Leave it to me," another voice said suddenly.  
"Hex," Seraphina exclaimed in surprise after she whipped around quickly. "I did not expect to see you again."  
"I didn't expect to be back but Master Eon has summoned you. Your brother and that oaf of a Fizzling are already at the Citadel. Leave me here, go get your soldiers. I'll make sure everyone stays put." Hex openly studied the bone walls and gave Seraphina a raised brow.  
"Later," the princess said curtly with a tilt of her head towards the goliath. Hex nodded slowly in understanding.

Running was an inappropriate act for a princess to undertake but in this case Eloryn didn't care. She was faster on her four legs than Seraphina was on her two and they made a strange sight with the Flashwingling dragging the floating Hexling behind her. Seraphina had a firm grip on Eloryn's tail and if possible was even paler than usual.  
"Elo, stop," Seraphina called to her once they were near the city.  
Eloryn slowed to a trot then came to a stop. "We have not even reached the gates yet; I was going to slow then."  
Seraphina pried her fingers off her sister's tail and shook out the stiffness in her knuckles from holding on so tightly. "I cannot touch mana anymore," she said simply.

"You just used it!" Eloryn exclaimed with wide eyes. She turned quick on her sister to give her a look of disbelief. "How do you know?"  
"No, I did not just use it," the princess sighed. She rubbed her eyes and made an exasperated gesture. "When the drow attacked I could not summon any of my Hexling skills. I had to do something and I could not risk using psionics when we might have one or more drow escape to tell others what they witnessed."  
"What _did_ you do then? I saw Hexling attacks," Eloryn replied with a raised brow.  
"I used psionics to re-create Hex's attacks," Seraphina admitted. "And Hex sensed something was wrong. Elo, Uzern took my magic from me when it returned to me my psionics. I am different from other Hexlings as well as every other caster out there and they are going to know it when they cannot sense me channel. If it gets linked back to Tour or Meir Valan…" she sighed deeply.

Eloryn twitched and made a move for the city. "We have to tell Roghallach about the drow and then we can discuss this."  
The older princess shook her head and stopped her sister, "I have already told Roghallach. He is sending out a unit now."  
"Light," Eloryn groaned. "You could have saved me a run from the start!" she huffed. "You could have at least let me know telepathy was going to be used to warn the commander. Then I would not have run so fast."  
"Did you not hear what I said?" her sister asked angrily. "If I do anything that is out of the ordinary for a Hexling and word gets back to Kaos or one of his generals it is _over_ Eloryn. They will hunt down every scrap of information they can find on why I am different and if they find the gargoyles and enslave them we will have lost. Just like that Kaos can put every Skylander under his sway with the psionic minds of the gargoyles."  
"The Marble Clan is too strong to bend to Kaos's will and the Shadows only serve themselves," Eloryn reminded her. "You told me that."

"He will find a way to break them," Seraphina said sadly. "Kaos relies heavily on technomancy and as it is so very unfamiliar to the gargoyles they will have no resistances to it yet. I am going to need to visit Alpha Nephilim and warn her."  
"And the Shadows?"  
Seraphina's shoulders sagged, the Marble Clan and Shadow Clan were enemies and as the Shadows only liked their own kind there was no chance of getting them to believe a warning. "They will kill any Marble ambassador that visits them and will do the same to any other race that tries. Either way the pride and lofty view the Shadows have of themselves will make them scoff and pass off the warning as a joke."

Eloryn made a sour face, "Then warn the Marbles and leave the rest to them. It is all you can do."  
"Light, I hope they can reach the other clans in time," Seraphina groaned.  
Impatiently Eloryn stomped her foot, "We are _Skylanders._ All we need is a Portal Master and we can warn them ourselves."  
"Hopefully the warning will be just that and not a call to arms. Oh, I wonder if Ani lost his Ignitorling abilities." Seraphina gave her sister a worried look. "When the soldiers reach us we will head back to Hex. Please, this conversation stays between us for now. I will inform Eon when we are in his presence then seek council with Mother and Father. Maybe, just maybe I am over-reacting and I will never be found out."  
Eloryn padded softly up to her sister and nuzzled her arm gently, "I know you can be discreet. If any of us can sneak around and be invisible it is you."

Hex looked up from where she had leaned comfortably against a tree to see the returning figures of Seraphina; the Flashwingling she assumed was the other princess and Commander Roghallach with about fifteen other soldiers. Everyone had such a hard set to their jaw they looked like they were heading to battle rather than to ensure the enemy was honestly subdued. "Your escort is here," Hex spoke to the goliath.  
The drow gave her a hard look but said nothing, nearly all the fight had fled him in his exhaustion. He straightened up to appear proud as the eirian soldiers approached him. "We are only the first wave; our failure will result in a stronger force being sent."

"Check them," Roghallach commanded a few soldiers that bore the mark of crossed staves on the breastplate of their armor, the symbol for soldiers skilled in magic as well as the sword. "Lady Hex," he said with a bow, "I had thought I would need to leave Meir Valan to see you again."  
"You did leave Meir Valan," she pointed out. "This is outside the city, is it not?" With her features smooth and expressionless the undead sorceress glided out of the way and placed herself behind the soldiers and apart from the other two Skylanders.  
Roghallach gave her the barest of nods before he approached the wall of bones and the goliath that gave him a smug grin in spite of the wounds he bore, some were quite severe and would lead to death if untreated. "I understand you think you can undermine our armies."  
"Oh I don't _think_ so, I _know_ so," he answered with arms crossed over his barrel chest.

"Is that so?" Roghallach responded. "Lower this wall and let my spell-swords restrain him." The commander never took his eyes off the drow and had clasped his hands behind his back. The goliath's back went rigid suddenly and he grunted as he was forced to look down his nose and his arms were held tightly against his sides by an invisible source. Once the spell-swords had given the ready signal Seraphina lowered the barrier and the goliath remained still as a stone.  
"Remove his gauntlets, Commander," Hex pointed to them. "If you let him keep them when you put him in a cell he won't stay there for long."  
The goliath gave the elves a smug look, "The cell won't hold me anyway."  
"I think we can spare a cell reinforced by magic for you," Roghallach said simply. "Status on the other drow?"

"Dead, sir. Any that were not already so we have finished off," a spell-sword with black hair and silver skin answered.  
Roghallach finally turned away from the goliath. "Collect their armor and weapons and send them to be melted down and re-forged. Burn the corpses; the taint of darkness in them will befoul the land if given a proper burial."  
"Skylands will belong to Kaos!" the goliath promised as the spell-swords forced him to walk. "And your precious Tour will make a wonderful seat of power for him! The elves will bow to him and us soon!"

Roghallach hung behind the retreating soldiers for a while. "Am I to assume you will be departing with Hex?" he asked both princesses.  
"Grandmaster Eon has summoned us," Seraphina nodded. "Why I do not yet know. Inform Mother and Father for us that we will return as soon as our business is taken care of."  
The commander nodded as a portal flared to life and bathed the area in softly changing pulses of light.

"Come, we are done here," Hex said as she vanished into the portal.  
"Inform Niall and Crevan of our whereabouts when they return, please," Seraphina said as an afterthought. She stepped into the portal next and left Eloryn standing with Roghallach.  
"Go," the commander said. "You will find you have nothing to worry about from Eon." Eloryn nodded slowly before she turned and vanished at last. A moment later and the portal was gone, Roghallach turned and strode after his small force.


	20. A False Sense of Security

**A False Sense of Security**

Eloryn was surprised to find herself inside when she came out the other side of the portal. She saw first off her siblings and Meilyr as well as Hex. Spyro and two others she assumed to be Cores were present as was Grandmaster Eon himself.  
"Greeting, Princess Eloryn," Eon's floating head said with what passed as a bow for him. "Welcome to the seat of power for the Skylanders."  
The Flashwingling let her gaze wander around the room. It was taken up by a long table that was inlaid with a map of Skylands. Seats lined the table and on the wall were detailed maps of specific areas as well as diagrams of enemy equipment and tactics. The youngest princess had been in a similar room back home and knew at once this was a war room reserved for meetings of strategy and information collection. The other Skylanders had begun to move towards the long, wide table before Eloryn herself approached it and climbed onto a bench. The Flashwingling sat up tall and proud and took on the austere look infamous among royalty.

Eon waited for everyone to be seated before he addressed the room. "Spyro and Cynder shared with me the events of Uzern and I have stressed the importance of keeping quiet the gifts the elven city has bestowed upon them. This was my decision however, as ambassadors of Meir Valan and Tour I wanted to involve you in our discussions," the grandmaster said to the three Reves. "When Prince Anicetus sought me out I decided now was the time to reach out to you again."  
"Thank you, Grandmaster," Seraphina said with a bow of her head. "We had decided the same thing when it came to keeping quiet. Anything that would make Kaos look deeper into what set us apart was too risky to utilize."  
Eon sighed and nodded, "You were given these gifts to utilize. We will have to stage something as a decoy for the reason behind their resurgence to allow you free use. It is a shame to have a gift you cannot use when the benefits of it could turn the tide."  
"Tell him what you told me, Seraphina," Eloryn said suddenly. "Tell him what you discovered."

Now all eyes were on the eldest Reve and Seraphina actually stood up to deliver her message. "With the return of my psionics I have been relieved of my Hexling skills. I can no longer cast the spells others like me can." The princess remained standing even after the Cores had turned to each other to murmur.  
Eon's eyes widened in surprise, "You have been returned to yourself in power but not form. Interesting," he mused. "Before simply knowing your original skills were returned was amazing but to see the skills gifted to you by the curse vanish opens new possibilities."  
"The priestess has found a way to at least give the appearance of being a normal Hexling but I could sense the difference, Master Eon," Hex spoke up. "Anyone that dares to pay attention won't be able to miss the same things I noticed."  
"I use stone to form the skulls and bone walls. The phantom orbs are easier to fake though as they are energy spheres. If my skulls and walls are studied it will be easy to tell they are not made of bone. Also if anyone takes the time to realize they cannot feel me channeling the ruse will fail. I feel paranoid now, no other Hexling is different."

Eon puckered up for a moment as he looked between Hex and Hexling. "That means we must move quickly then. If you are found out before we have prepared our method of protecting Tour and the power it keeps hidden then Kaos will swoop in to claim it. Assuming he looks beyond you to find your roots. How is it that you discovered your Hexling magic was taken from you?"  
"We were attacked outside of Meir Valan by drow," Eloryn answered. "A small group of them must have gotten past the patrols of soldiers and rangers in the countryside," she said quickly when Anicetus and Meilyr became agitated and began to rise.  
"The group was subdued and a goliath is being held by Roghallach for questioning," Seraphina added quickly with a calming gesture to her brother and his friend. "The patrols will be stepped up to ensure no others are lurking about. When questioned all we heard from the drow was that Kaos intended to subjugate the kingdoms and armies of Tour to prevent our aiding of the Skylanders."  
"They can try," Meilyr snorted, "but the drow are not known to have an encouraging success rate."  
Anicetus relaxed, his fires turned from red to a soft orange as he sat back down. "Not to mention the support we have from… incognito powers will add difficulty to their efforts. We will discuss this later," the prince promised his sisters.

"What or who _is_ this power, Master Eon?" Cynder asked. "Why have we not heard of it?"  
"You have," Eon nodded, "in legends of old. Legends that were propagated for the purpose of making it fade into obscurity. And within the three Reves that sit beside you a taste of this power has been sampled. Would any of you care to explain?" Eon asked the residents of Tour.  
"Gargoyles," Anicetus said simply. "We still have clans of gargoyles in Tour."  
"You have gargoyle blood in your veins?" Camo blinked in surprise as he addressed Seraphina. "It is gargoyles that always held psionics in the legends and myths and only those with their blood could manifest the skill."

"No, I am elf through and through," the Hexling shook her head. "It was possible for those not of gargoyle lineage to possess psionic skills. A few records exist of it in just about all races. When the gargoyles declined in the rest of Skylands the skill began to vanish as well. There has not been a documented case of a non-gargoyle psionic in several millennia before the arrival of my siblings, Kaelin and myself." Seraphina looked to Eon and the Cores, "Anicetus is chronokinetic and Eloryn is an oracle who sees possible futures. I am skilled in a wide range of abilities but strangely enough cannot do what my siblings can with their skills. Kaelin holds the same abilities I do which the gargoyles will tell you is rare even among them. Gargoyle psionics are telepathic and telekinetic only. Kaelin and I can manipulate elements as well as mimic nearly any spell a mage can cast. We do not know how it is possible or why all of us were gifted. Not even the gargoyles could figure it out when we visited them for proper training." At last Seraphina let herself sit back down. She exchanged a glance with Meilyr that said she was nervous and hopeful the conversation would steer away from psionics before long.

"Chronokinesis," Spyro mused. He looked to Cynder and the other dragon bowed her head. "That is very similar to a dragon skill I once had. I… burned it out from overuse. I haven't been able to utilize it since. Is that possible for psionics? Every mage stands a risk of stilling their ability if they push too hard too fast."  
"No," Eloryn answered tersely, "We only get stronger from forcing ourselves past our limit." She eyed Hex suspiciously when the sorceress scowled at her.  
"If we _survive_," Anicetus followed her statement quickly. "Mages get cut off from the source and a psionic could kill themselves by over-reaching. Seraphina and I both have nearly done it before."  
"You repeatedly," Seraphina waved a finger at her brother. "I will not allow Anicetus to use his ability unless it will save a life. He was far too frivolous with its use in the past. I can and will put a block on his ability if need be."  
"Psionics can block psionic attacks like a warding spell can protect anyone from a magical attack? That is good to know," Cynder interjected.  
Anicetus scowled at his sister and reluctantly conceded with a nod. He hated being limited but could understand her concern, he just wished there was a way to break down the mental blocks when she put them in place.

"Before we continue this discussion I have a few individuals I would like you to meet," Eon stopped further comments with his statement. "Give me a moment," he murmured before closing his eyes in concentration. The Cores knew Eon could still open portals but it took a tremendous amount of energy from him. He already had to concentrate to even manifest himself as he had; his physical body was trapped in the limbo between portals and a state of suspended animation thanks to Kaos. The portal opened after a few moments and three individuals rushed through just before it closed. Standing away from the table were three giants; a fire golem Hot Headling, the blue skinned and armored djinn swordswoman Ninjiniling and an over-sized bee Swarmling.  
The ceiling was high in the room; the whole citadel had vaulted ceilings that would allow a giant to comfortably traverse it. Eon drifted closer to the floor and his image became more transparent than opaque following the summoning. The grandmaster looked very weary suddenly and seemed to struggle to keep himself present.

"I believe you have met before," Eon said softly. "Prince Anicetus, Princesses Eloryn and Seraphina. You will have to forgive me; I must take my leave and rest. I ask only that you inform me later of any conclusions you reach in your discussion." Eon's image blinked in and out a few times before it failed to return.  
"Light," Seraphina breathed with wide eyes and a hand over her heart, "is he going to be alright?"  
"It is hard for Eon to use portals, they drain him tremendously. Thus the reason he was forced to seek apprentices," Cynder replied. She looked to the three giants then introduced herself as well as the other Core's present and finally Meilyr.  
"Well, Eon was right. We _do_ know one another," the Hot Headling grinned. "It is good to see you again, Princess Seraphina. Though I wouldn't know you without an introduction."  
"Wraith!" Eloryn gasped, she would have recognized that deep voice anywhere. "_You_ are a Skylander?" She immediately looked to the other two giants. "Who are they?" Her wings quivered in excitement at finding more familiar faces.  
"Ginny-Li," the Ninjiniling smirked then held her hand out to the Swarmling, "Nivaeus."

"Oh Niv, you have lost your psionics," Seraphina said sadly. "Your mind is not the same."  
"But you reclaimed yours," the giant bee said with wide eyes. "Eon told us about Uzern. He sought us out and decided to bring us in on this." Nivaeus's voice didn't match his form, he sounded younger than he looked.  
"They are gargoyles," Anicetus said quickly. "Or they were."  
"How did you get here and become copies?" Meilyr asked as he shifted in his seat. "Nephilim had forbid any gargoyles from joining the Skylanders. We even kept the recruiters from traveling to anywhere but the major kingdoms." The guard remembered that keenly, word had been sent to the gargoyle clans to remain hidden and lay low. They didn't need to become active where Kaos could discover them and their psionics.  
"We followed you when you were summoned for battle," Nivaeus admitted. Something about the way he looked to Ginny-Li and Wraith said maybe _Nivaeus_ had followed the Skylanders and the other gargoyles had followed _him_. "We were caught in the blast and banished like everyone else. Automatically turned into Skylanders."  
"Forgive me," Wraith said with a raised hand that looked more like a cannonball with fingers, "but we should focus on the issue at hand and get caught up later. Tell me again about the events of Uzern."

Niall the Voodoodling looked out of place next to the three eirian elves he held company with. Each of them was dressed in the robes of a priest and held the staff of rank for High Priest; one was taller than the others and topped with a crystal sunburst that seemed to radiate its own light. This was Parlan Ormond, after Niall's disappearance he had taken the title of Prime High Priest. Parlan had sandy golden hair, rich brown eyes and skin of a golden brown. A smile was hardly ever seen on his face and the cleric seemed to always be stoic and serious. This happened to be one of the rare times in which he did wear a smile.

"I will gladly abdicate and return the title to you if you should wish it, Niall," Parlan said as the quartet walked through a vegetable garden in the temple grounds. Rows of crops were green with new leaves and small in stature this early in the season. "I only took it to keep Iris out of the position. By rank the title should have gone to her but the council favored my appeal."  
Myrna Quinn, an orange-gold haired priestess with pale blue eyes and rich copper skin snorted. "I am _glad_ Iris did not ascend ranks. She would make a terrible Prime, how did she even become your Legate, Niall?" Her hand tightened on the staff she carried, she had stars tattooed on the backs of each hand in representation of her love of star gazing.  
The orc thumped his halberd on the dirt as he walked, "Iris is skilled and knowledgeable. Her people skills could use some polishing but she was enthusiastic enough to rise to the challenge. I had made the same offer to all three of you and no one accepted." He cast each of them a look, no one met his eyes.  
"I am not Legate material," Teague Amergin, the final priest shrugged. He was of mixed elven lineage as shown by his predominately black hair streaked with gold and his tan skin that had the barest hint of metallic sheen. Teague was a light-hearted and easy going individual whose blue-green eyes always seemed to hold the sparkle of a smile.

"Why are we discussing Iris?" Niall asked suddenly. "I want to know what has happened during my absence. I want to know which students have risen in rank, which have fallen behind and those that have given up on their training. I was told the three of you have been in constant contact with the king and queen of Meir Valan as well. How is their Prime Aderyn Clearwater? What about their Legate?"  
"It is time to address the clergy anyway," Parlan said with a quickened pace. "Come with me and you can see most of these things firsthand, old friend."  
Niall inhaled deeply, it felt wonderful to be back home. The familiar sights, sounds and smells made him forget the two years he had spent in hiding. "I have all day to discover what changes have happened in my absence. It will be good to be a part of the service again."

Sprint had bought more from the gargoyles than she had intended. If not for them stressing she was going to spend all her coin she might very well have done just that. The Stealthling wore various rings on nearly all of her fingers now and had purchased a translucent veil that was decorated with tiny discs made of a lightweight and shiny metal. She had opted to wear that as well, it was similar to her default look as a Stealth Elfling but it was more feminine than Stealth's mask. It made her think of Mystic, Krystal's Ninjiniling and how perfectly it would fit with the giant's taste in clothing. She was definitely going to bring some of the girls to Hawk Ridge while the gargoyles were set up in the city. Even if they missed the gargoyles the normal elven shops were full of wonders as well. She and Windy had spent half of the morning wandering the market stalls and permanent shops with Crevan stoically accompanying them.

At Sprint's insistence Crevan now sported a purple fedora; the Stealthling had been thrilled to find one at a temporary stall that carried styles not native to the Tour region. Crevan seemed comfortable enough with it even though Windy suffered a fit of giggles when he first put it on. It suited the Fizzling and went with his colors nicely.  
"Right, as much as I would love to continue window shopping I _do_ need to get out of here before I spend all my gold. Is there anything else noteworthy you'd care to share with us?" Sprint asked Crevan as she walked backwards to face him.  
"As it seems we will have a day of leisure I have one idea you may find appealing. As Skylanders pampering is not something we get to indulge upon. I know where you may find relaxation and all manner of holistic care if you are interested." Crevan was thinking hard on what to show the ladies, in his experience most _loved_ to be pampered and get a good therapeutic treatment for relaxation. He could go for a hot stone massage himself and it would possibly take the better part of an hour or two to accomplish. From there he could let the ladies wander the city at will or escort them back to Meir Valan to meet back up with the Reves. Crevan at first didn't mind playing tour guide, now though he was struggling to find things they would find interesting that wouldn't similarly bore him to tears.

"Oh! A spa day!" Sprint squealed happily with her hands clasped together under her chin. "You've never had one, have you Win?"  
The Whirlwindling shook her head, "Na. Always thought they were for over-stressed adults. No stress here!" she chirped.  
Crevan seemed more energized suddenly with the two interested in the idea. "Excellent, it is not too far from where we are currently. It will also give you a chance to talk to other residents of the city and see it through their eyes. My own view is probably pretty limited," the Fizzling said with a wiry grin. "Afterwards I believe I will take my leave from your company if you will not be offended?" he asked tentatively.  
"Not at all," Sprint waved. "Would be nice to have a girl's day out anyhow. No offence, you're nice and all but not a girl."  
"None taken," Crevan grinned. Well that was easy; he had feared one of both of them would be offended. Perhaps Sprint had picked up on his desire to separate, Windy didn't seem to notice a thing and kept talking excitedly to her female friend.

"I have to agree with the choice to keep the topic of Uzern quiet," Ginny-Li nodded. For the three Reves and Meilyr it was even stranger to see her as an over-sized elf than it was for them to be the copies they were. Ginny-Li had been a sandy, horse-faced gargoyle with a single antler placed like a unicorn's horn in the middle of her forehead. She was the leader of the Marble Clan's magisters and her transformation into a Ninjiniling was plausible if a little strange on her appearance.  
Similarly Wraith and Nivaeus were different. Wraith had been a huge, hulking gargoyle that resembled a green lion with crescent tattoos under each eye, his right eye had been lost and he wore a patch but as a giant he once again had two. Though Wraith had been a warrior he was aligned with fire as a gargoyle, that being the only element and spell he could cast; it made sense that he became a copy of Hot Head. Nivaeus was a young warrior and powerful psionic, only seventeen and he had already risen to command the psionics of his clan. He too had been feline in looks with white skin and solid black eyes. From psionic to air elemental, Nivaeus was one of those copies that were confusing to point out why they became who they were.

"The spirits and the trees don't want the word to be kept quiet though," Camo protested with an annoyed flick of his tail. "You must at least spread the word there on Tour," he implored the residents of the continent. "It is only the mass exodus of Skylanders and Kaos to Tour that you want to avoid. There is no harm in letting Tour's residents know the forest misses them."  
"That is for the elves to decide upon, particularly the Queen of Atlee. Not us," Wraith said with a shake of his head.  
"I will bring it to Queen Elanniah's attention," Seraphina interjected. "I have spoken to her once already but I will start the discussion again. Tomorrow or perhaps the next day I will return to Haven with her son Kaelin and from there Uzern."  
"Princess," Spyro drew attention to himself by sitting up taller, "please allow us to return to Uzern with you. I am excited to see what happens when the spirits get what they have requested."  
"I will be content with a return to Uzern, I have no interest in meeting with the Queen of Atlee," Hex stated firmly.  
"Well I doubt Seraphina was going ask anyone in on that," Eloryn snorted, "that is business for those of our station alone."  
Anicetus groaned as did Meilyr. With Eloryn's tone she was going to get Hex's hackles up in no time if she was allowed to speak much. "Relax, Elo," the prince said to the Flashwingling. All she did was tilt her chin up higher.

Seraphina cleared her throat; it wasn't just Hex that had taken offence but the other Cores as well. "Enough, Eloryn. If Spyro, Cynder and Camo would like to come with us to speak to Queen Elanniah then they are more than welcome. Hex as well even though she has already stated she would rather decline. They were with us in Uzern and can vouch for the events as well as Anicetus and I can."  
The Flashwingling grimaced and turned instead to look at the gargoyles now in giant forms. Wraith was scowling and Ginny-Li had her arms folded across her chest. Nivaeus looked shocked and more than a little worried about how the Cores might react to what everyone else had picked up as rudeness from Eloryn. Rather than offer an apology to the Cores Eloryn snorted and held her head up high. The chains wrapped across her face and head clinked softly against each other in the silence.

"Right, we're getting nowhere," Cynder said after a long moment of silence. "I believe we've touched on everything that was meant to be discussed?"  
"I will be in Meir Valan tomorrow to accompany you to Haven and Uzern," Camo said to Seraphina. Everyone seemed to default to addressing her even if it was going to be Anicetus that eventually became king of Meir Valan. "Windy is bringing others of Krystal's Skylanders into the mix but I won't allow them to come with us to Uzern."  
Hex was surprised by this, "You, the eternal prankster are finally understanding and enforcing stringent rules of engagement?"  
"I would rather not have the trees mad at me," he replied simply.  
"Oh yeah, because one could simply uproot itself and trample you," Spyro grinned.  
"There's Arbo," Camo reminded him of the ent that lived on the island with the Core of Light. "Just because he isn't as big as a house doesn't mean he can't cause a world of pain."  
"He'd trip over his own tongue and hurt _himself_," Hex said flatly. It was true, the ent always had his ridiculously long tongue lolling out and it was a wonder he could even speak that way.  
"Well maybe Arbo can't step on you but Tree Rex is another story altogether," Cynder said with a draconic grin.

As the Cores continued to talk amongst themselves Seraphina rose to her feet and glided around the table to properly greet the gargoyles. "It is so good to see you again," Seraphina said after she let Nivaeus's arm go then turned take Ginny-Li by the elbow in elven fashion. It was strange to see the giants' hands nearly cover the whole of the smaller Hexling's arm when they gripped her elbow in turn. "We had planned to visit Nephilim soon to inform her of what Uzern has done and how it may eventually draw eyes to Tour that we do not want."  
"Allow us to take the message. Nephilim uses us now to keep her informed of the outside world," Wraith replied when Seraphina reached him finally.  
Nivaeus groaned and ran a heavily armored hand over his face, "Our first trip back to the Clan was… an adventure."  
"Nephilim didn't believe we were who we claimed to be and when Nivaeus's mind felt different to a psionic probe we were nearly imprisoned for safety's sake. This was only a moon ago, mind you. The event is still fresh in our minds. Nephilim was upset and disappointed with all three of us," Ginny-Li added to Nivaeus's statement. Wraith glared hard at the back of Nivaeus's head, if not for the impetuousness of the youth they wouldn't have been in the predicament to begin with.

Anicetus and Meilyr peeled away from the Cores at last when their conversation eventually turned into who caused more trouble- Camo, Zap, Trigger Happy or Pop Fizz. Hex wasn't a part of the conversation and had instead entered a staring contest with Eloryn.  
"You know it was just yesterday that everything was settled with Hex. Do you really want to leave you sister there to stare daggers at her?" Meilyr mumbled.  
"Eloryn is a force of nature," Anicetus waved. "Let her. If it escalates then you can step in. She will run to Mother and Father to end it otherwise."  
"All the more reason to separate them _now_!" Meilyr said with his arms up in the air.

"Separate who?" Ginny-Li asked when she turned away from the conversation Wraith and Seraphina were engaged in about Uzern and the gargoyle clan nearest it.  
"Hex and Eloryn," Meilyr hooked a thumb back to the women staring at each other like strange cats. "Long story short, Hex insulted the Reves and just made amends with the royal family yesterday. So we are still walking on egg shells around one another. This was before Eloryn had been returned to us; she has only heard the story second hand."  
"Please, do not make us repeat it again," Anicetus sighed with slumped shoulders. "It has been taken care of and we can move on. Chapter closed," he clapped his hands together as if he were slamming a book shut.  
"Then it will remain closed," Ginny-Li said as she drifted past the smaller Skylanders and up to Eloryn where her tone became very friendly and open as she greeted the princess and tried to convince her to join the others.

"I have never had a winged client before," the red haired elven masseuse said as she prompted Windy to rise. "I am not sure if the muscle structure is supposed to feel this way or if it is stress. I am afraid to work further without understanding your structure." She exchanged a glance with the other masseuse in the room. The two wound up working together on Windy after the second had finished a standard massage on her client. Sprint occupied another table; dual massage rooms were common place and further allowed elves to remain social. Sprint sat atop the table waiting on Windy and had remained quiet the whole time.  
"It feels great though," the Whirlwindling sighed happily when the second masseuse returned her red scarf and necklace to her. "I guess I was stressed after all."

Sprint grinned, swung her feet and hopped off the table. "Told you you'd enjoy it." She ran her hand through her loose hair before she turned to face the brown haired masseuse, "We came with a friend. Can't miss him, big blue hairball."  
"Ah, yes, the gremlin," the red haired elf answered first with a grimace. She had found Crevan strange and a bit disgusting.  
"He is in the next room over," the brown haired elf replied with a smile. She had no problem with the Fizzling. "I will be willing to check on him if you would like?"  
"Na, we're good," Windy said with the shake of her head. "Let him know we already skipped out. Might catch him later, might not. Tell him I said this idea was bruce, I loved it," she bobbed her head. "Wait for ya outside," Windy chirped as she followed the red haired masseuse out of the room.

"Thank you again," Sprint said to the other elf as she headed back to the folding wall to change out of the standard issue towel wrap and back into her normal clothing. "I feel so much more relaxed and ready for the day now."  
The brown haired elf smiled as she went about cleaning up the two tables, "We do not get many Skylanders in. I can safely say you are the first I have ever had as clients." She laughed suddenly, "Forgive me. I suppose what I meant is the variety of clients. Your friend is the first dragon I have ever tended."  
Sprint smoothed down the fabric of her top and fluffed her hair as she stepped back out. "Well we'll recommend you to our friends. We most likely won't be the last Skylander clients you have. I love spa days; I don't get enough of them." She paused long enough to put her shoes back on. "Thanks again!"

Windy looked over her shoulder as the door opened then closed behind her. Sprint came out with a serenely peaceful grin on her face. "Ok, so not all adult activities are boring and stupid. I _liked_ this one."  
"You like being a Skylander too," Sprint laughed as she placed her hand on Windy's head and ruffled the fur there. "You don't find that boring or stupid." She tapped Windy's unicorn horn before she removed her hand.  
"Yeah well," Windy said slowly, "I can't stand the thought of Kaos being in control. He's so mean!" She ruffled her wings and began to walk away from the building and back into the city streets of Hawk Ridge. She squinted as she turned her eyes up to the mid-morning sun. "Under Kaos there would be no sun. How else can I warm my feathers?" She spread her wings out wide and inhaled deeply. "The dark is cold, hard and distant. Why does he embrace it so much?" she turned to Sprint to question.  
"You how your parents always told you the 'because he's stupid' line of reasoning wasn't a good enough explanation?" Sprint inquired.  
"Yeah, I used it a lot," Windy grinned.  
"Well there _is_ no other explanation for Kaos. He really is stupid."

Windy laughed at first then fell quiet. "I guess I shouldn't laugh. It did get pretty scary there for a while when he first destroyed the Core of Light."  
Sprint tugged Windy close to her with an arm around her shoulders; she saw the Whirlwindling as a younger sister and was determined to stick with her through whatever Kaos threw at the Skylanders. "We made it, just like we'll make it through whatever else Kaos does."  
"You know what?" Windy said brightly as she pulled away from Sprint. "We should head back to Krystal's island and pick some of the others up. There's something I gotta show ya but you have to promise to keep it between us."  
Sprint raised a brow as she looked to the other Skylander, "What are you up to, Win? You aren't going to get us into trouble are you?"  
"Na," Windy said as she very nearly skipped ahead of her friend. "It'll be cool, trust me!"

"No," Anicetus said as he picked up sections of his armor to return to. "I still have all of my Ignitorling abilities." He could move around outside of his armor and launch himself from it like always, nothing seemed to have changed.  
"But you went down the swordsman path and you were skilled before becoming a copy," Seraphina sighed and rubbed her eyes. "That means you are left with only that which cannot be taken from you. You are still a fire spirit and fire will always burn, I am still a Hexling and undead. Uzern did not change that. I still do not understand why my ability to touch magic was taken from me."  
"Hey, that is not a bad thing, right?" Meilyr asked as he stepped between the siblings. He and all three of the royal family that had visited Eon's tower were still on the island and tucked away in a less populated area. The gargoyles had made their exit to return to Tour and their clan's Alpha leaders while the Core Skylanders had separated for their own business.

"Can we go home now?" Eloryn asked in irritation. "We could have tested this theory there, you know," she grumbled as she stood from where she had been lounging in the grass. The Flashwingling stretched out her front limbs, spread her toes and lowered her upper body to the ground while her wings spread and her rump was held high in her stretch. It felt good to stretch even though Eloryn knew she looked ridiculous doing it.  
"Well, there is nothing else we had planned for the day, is there?" Meilyr asked both Seraphina and Anicetus. "We left Windy, that new friend of hers-"  
"Sprint," Seraphina offered.  
"Sprint and Crevan with Niall," Meilyr finished without missing a beat. "Crevan can only take the girls to so many market stalls before they run out of places to shop and or coin."  
Seraphina looked out to the distant groups, pairs and single Skylanders they shared the island with. "I suppose we can, I expect a summons from Nephilim soon in any event. She will want to speak to the source of the message her clanlings returned with."  
Eloryn snorted a laugh, "For the first time ever I will not feel like the odd man out in the Clan Grounds. I will fit right in." She looked down at her feet and wiggled her toes with a bitter smirk.

"It's over here, I found it!" Windy called out excitedly as her claws clicked on metal hidden under the mossy growth that covered one of the platforms to Uzern. The forest was just as dimly lit as before with the multitude of phosphorescent fungus providing the only light that far below the elfwood canopy.  
"Windy, this is a seriously _weird_ place you found," an Ignitorling said as he stepped around yet another glowing mushroom under the dark covering of ghostly white trees.  
"Kinda trippy if you ask me." A small, round magically enhanced blue grub said. His tongue, also a phosphorescent material, flicked out quickly and retracted with a mushroom stuck to the end before he swallowed it in one gulp and made a face that said he found it rather tasty.  
"Unsettling that I don't know where I am or what to expect," the Ignitorling replied. His flames danced between a curious purple color and cautious orange-yellow.  
"Pft," Windy said with toss of her head and roll of her eyes as she turned back around to face him. "You're just used to the _urban_ jungle, Steek. You used to thrive on this, or so you told me." The Whirlwindling looked past him to the rest of her group. She had decided to try and re-create the group she had traveled with to Uzern the first time with some obvious changes. Instead of Camo she had Timber the Tree Rexling. The giant was trying to be quiet but the ent's huge wooden feet made a thud no matter what he tried.

Lunar the Hexling came in place of the real Hex; Sprint was to replace Seraphina since Krystal didn't have a second Hexling. Scorch the Spyroling was accompanied by Ashlina the Cynderling. An odd couple, unlike the real Spyro and Cynder they could barely stand one another. To replace Crevan and Meilyr Windy had called upon Polo the Wrecking Balling and Mystic the Ninjiniling. It wasn't a perfect match but it would do, she had chosen her team based mainly on their elemental alignments. Sprint was the only member that wasn't brought along by that reasoning but Windy couldn't leave her behind after pitching the idea to her. It wouldn't have been right.  
Windy tapped at one of the energy crystals when everyone had climbed onto the platform. "Hey, Mystic, think you could figure this out? I was too busy being in awe by everything to have seen _how_ they made the lift work."

"What, as if the rest of us can't figure it out?" Lunar asked with a furrowed brow. She wasn't dressed as Hex but she did still stick to black. She had chosen to don leather instead and looked very much like a dominatrix with only the whip missing. Her stiletto boots honestly looked silly being that her feet never touched the ground but she wouldn't hear it whenever anyone told her as much.  
"You don't have the patients to do it," Polo said with his sticky tongue hanging out the side of his grinning mouth. "I ain't got no hands to try." The Wrecking Balling sat back on his haunches and held up his stubby little legs and wiggled short toes to illustrate. "You need me to eat a bad guy, I've got you covered." He clicked his tongue and winked before putting all four feet back on the ground.  
"Gross," Ashlina squealed with a face twisted in disgust. "I saw you _enjoy_ a four course meal of armored trolls once! And the _gas_ they gave you was raunchy!" She shook her horned head and kept her tongue sticking out when Polo turned to grin at her.

The Ninjiniling coiled up her etheric body so she could get a closer look at the crystal structures. "They're familiar but old. Very, very old. Where are we? You neglected to tell us anything about where we were going other than it would blow our minds." Mystic lightly touched the crystal then looked to the next one over to see if she could detect differences in appearance or magical signature.  
"A place right out of legend," Windy said excitedly. She very nearly danced around on the platform. "Guess! Go on! Give it your best shot!"  
"I don't know," Sprint replied as she turned in a circle to take in their surroundings.  
"Clues, hints anything to help us make an educated guess?" Scorch asked. He began to scratch at the growth on the platform to try and find something to tell him where they were. Others got the same idea, Ashlina and Polo joined the Spyroling in clearing away growth. It was thick in areas and the metal it covered had become slightly pitted with age and damaged from the organic covering that went through cycles of decay, regrowth and possibly collection by forest animals.  
Scorch opened his jaws and let a minor stream of fire out to clear away some of the dryer, dead growth. It burned away quickly and left ash to dust away with a paw.  
"Hey!" Sprint coughed from both the ash and smoke. "Mind where you point that!"

"Careful!" Windy said with her ears sticking straight up, "Don't be a shoob and burn the place down!"  
"Relax," Scorch rolled his eyes, "I know what I'm doing." Still he did stop using fire and resumed digging and pulling at the growth.  
"Wait, wait," Windy sighed. "You might harm the lift. I'll just tell you." She sounded disappointed that no one wanted to play a guessing game but she was a little too excited to let it bum her out for long. "This is Uzern!"  
A loud pop, one that sounded like a tree snapping, was the only thing to break the silence that had engulfed the group.

"No way," Steek breathed out with flames a pure white. "I've never even _been_ to the Tour region. How did you find this place?"  
"Remember that Hexling princess she's been yammering about?" Sprint asked as she pat Windy on the shoulder.  
"You guys _have_ to keep this between us! Ok? I brought you here because I trust you. This place is holy to the eirian elves and I won't allow it to become altered." Windy's stern look turned quickly to surprise when the platform lurched into motion.

"What did you do?" Polo groaned at Mystic from his back. He rocked around in an effort to right himself. "A little help?"  
"I was still trying to figure out how to work the platform," Mystic admitted. "I don't think I did anything." She uncoiled herself and drifted over to hover opposite the enormous ent Timber to better balance the weight on the platform.  
"How in the world did you end up on your back?" Ashlina scoffed as she reared up and placed her paws on Polo's round belly to roll the giant grub back to his feet.  
"I saw a fruit in the trees I wanted but my tongue wouldn't reach. I balanced on my back legs to get taller and the ground moved," he griped. "_That's_ how I became a rocking bug."  
"Your ten foot long tongue couldn't reach it? Amazing," Lunar said sarcastically.  
"Hey! I'm working on the magic to make it longer. Leave me be," Polo grunted.  
"Why are we in Uzern?" Lunar ignored Polo and turned to face Windy.

"Last time I came through I saw the old spirits that are said to haunt the woods. It was so cool; I wanted to share it with you guys."  
Sprint slowed her steps as she paced on the lift, "Holy ground, Win. Maybe we shouldn't be here."  
"A ghost hunt, really?" Timber sighed.  
"Well not really, no?" Windy shook her head. "Hey, you can talk to trees can't you?"  
"Yes." Timber said simply.  
"And?" Windy prompted as she leaned in closer to the giant. "What are they saying?"

Timber made a face; his thick wooden features seemed to buckle with the thoughtful look he bore. "They remember you and are confused by the others that look like people you came with but are not them. They are asking about the elves and a king named Kaelin. And they're confused." Timber himself seemed confused with what he had just said and looked to Windy for answers; all she did was offer him a shrug.  
"Rubbish," Lunar grunted. "What are they saying that would mean anything to _us_?"  
Steek paced about on the platform as if he had too much energy to sit still. "Any reason in particular you wanted to bring us to a ghost town?" The Ignitorling couldn't decide if he wanted to ball his hands into fists at his sides or fold his arms over his chest.  
Windy's shoulders slumped and she rolled her eyes, "Just wait until you get to the city."

* * *

Author's notes and frequently asked questions can be found in the "Odyssey" forums. The link is in my profile.


	21. Creeping Darkness and Dread

**Creeping Darkness and Dread**

"It's safe, trust me! And if in doubt I bet Timber could convince the vines to grow and fill in holes," Windy said happily once the platform had arrived at the city. She was the first to bound off it and prance eagerly into the etheric beauty that was the city consumed and yet strangely preserved by the forest. "Come on, come _on_," she urged. "You guys don't know what you're missing!"  
"Ladies first," Polo grinned to Lunar. She glared at him but went ahead anyway. He repeated it with Mystic, Ashlina and Sprint as well.  
"And bowling balls before men!" Scorch laughed as he head butt Polo and made the round little Skylander roll head over tail past the ladies with a squeal much like a little girl's. "Was that _him_ or one of them?" Scorch snorted in laughter.

"You are such a jerk," Sprint scoffed before she jogged up to where Polo had finally stopped rolling.  
"Quit being a punk, Squirt," Timber grumbled and flicked the Spyroling in the head with a knobby finger. He walked past Scorch and nearly pushed the smaller dragon off the thick tree limb.  
The dragon flinched and shook the cotton feeling he had out of his after the flick, head that had really smarted. "Just make sure your ten ton butt doesn't cause the branches to break."  
"I will take you with me if they do," the hulking ent promised.

Polo felt like his eyes continued to roll when Ashlina and Sprint finally reached him to steady him. "Ugh, I think I'm gonna be sick."  
Sprint moved so fast it was like she hadn't even been there in the first place. The dark dragon's eyes grew wide and she propelled herself up into the air to avoid the possible mess. "Not on me, aim for Scorch!" Ashlina pleaded.  
The Wrecking Balling looked so pitiful as he sat heavily on the thick tree limb path. His normal color was blue but he had an obvious tinge of green to his face at the moment. "Get him close enough and I think I can manage." Polo's cheeks puffed up before he belched obscenely loud. "False alarm!" the grub exclaimed happily. "Oh I needed that."  
"_I_ didn't," Mystic replied with one hand pinching her nose as the other waved the stench off. She was ever so grateful Ashlina was in the perfect position to dispel the odor.

"Hey, what's wrong Timber?" Ashlina's concern for her friend was displayed clearly on her face when she landed near the ent. He stood so still he seemed to have become a tree again.  
"We're not alone," Timber said at last. He turned his head to look behind him and ushered the other Skylanders in close. "Windy, were you aware of the drow in the city?"  
"Drow?" the Whirlwindling's head shot up and turned quickly to survey the area. "Where?" She was panicked; the drow _couldn't_ be in the city. They were the reason it was dead after all!  
"That's why the trees were confused," Timber murmured more to himself than anyone else. "They do not separate drow from other elves, drow still respect nature."

"When were you here last?" Steek asked urgently. His hand went to the hilt of his blazing sword, ready to draw in a heartbeat.  
"Yesterday," Windy replied with wide eyes. "Just yesterday! They weren't, there were no drow here then! Camo said the trees missed the elves and they were so happy to see us. How do they know it is drow?"  
"The spirits told them," Ashlina blinked. She and Lunar seemed to be staring at something that wasn't there. "Oh Windy," the Cynderling said sadly, "The spirits of the elves are so angry and scared. There are spirits of children here!"  
"I can't see them," Windy nearly cried as she turned around in quick jerky motions. "I saw them last time, why can't I now?"  
"Windy, calm down!" Lunar hissed at the Whirlwindling. "Do you _want_ the drow to find us? The Fallen are trying to keep us hidden but can only do so much. If you don't still your tongue you'll give us away!"

"Why can't I see the spirits?" Windy asked again. "I can't hear them either. Why?" She looked from Lunar when the Hexling averted her gaze to Ashlina.  
"They wanted you to see them last time, if you see them now then so too will the drow," the dragon replied. Ashlina sighed and lowered her head, "They want us to flush the drow out but there are far too many of them for us to manage. The Fallen don't understand how they arrived so quickly and settled into the city without the rest of Tour being aware. They are a threat to Haven and will travel to the other city when they are satisfied Uzern is theirs uncontested. From there who knows where they will set their sights."  
"It had to be through portals, the energy signatures are strong here," Mystic replied while Scorch and Polo nodded their agreement. Some were very new and fresh. "They must have been lurking about and picked up interest in the area when you originally came here, Windy."  
The Whirlwindling's ears fell. "I wasn't supposed to be here again, if I tell Seraphina she will be upset with me."  
"You have to!" Sprint urged her. "The drow are a threat to _all_ of Skylands. You found them when no one else even knew they were around. Tell your friend, she'll understand. She seemed reasonable enough to me."

"Sprint, I want you and Mystic on reconnaissance now," Steek ordered them as he slipped back into his pre-Skylander training. "You _will not_ engage the enemy. You are there strictly to collect information." The Ignitorling turned his attention to Ashlina and Lunar. He cocked his head to the side as he appeared to think about something. "Lunar, go with them as their link to the spirits. Guide them, have the spirits help you find the information you need."  
"I can be of use as well," Ashlina stepped forward. She wanted to protect the spirit children; even if the drow couldn't physically hurt them they did frighten them.  
"No," Steek shook his head, "You will remain with us. If something befalls the recon team the spirits can relay the information to you and the rest of us in turn."

"Windy, I want you to find this princess of yours and inform her of what happened here."  
"Oh Steek, I can't," Windy trembled. "She trusted me with the location; I wasn't supposed to give it away."  
"In this case it was good that you did, how long would it have taken for the drow to be found?"  
"Seraphina was going to return soon! In a day or two."  
"Win, honey," Sprint said softly, "Two days is a long time when you can move undetected and don't want to lose the advantage. She will forgive you and thank you for bringing warning. Hopefully by the time you return we'll know what the drow are up to."  
"Steek, I want to return to the forest floor with a team," Timber said. "The trees can carry messages to the Fallen who can then communicate with Lunar and Ashlina. We need someone down there to see how they're moving and where they may have another camp."  
"Take Polo and Scorch with you."  
"Aw, really Steek?" Scorch complained, "I'd rather go with Windy to find the princess. Is she hot?" he asked the Whirlwindling.  
"She's a Hexling," Windy blinked at him. "You are such a shoob!" she narrowed her eyes at the one track mind of Scorch.  
"I'd rather you go off on your own on a kamikaze mission," Polo grumbled to Scorch. "But we can't always get what we want."

"Move out now," Steek said firmly to all the groups. "Windy, you follow Timber's party back down the lift and set out from there. Wait until you are a fair distance away before you use a portal. There's a chance they already know we're here so be careful everyone."  
"Steek, what are we going to do?" Ashlina questioned.  
"That building over there," he pointed to one that might have been some form of public meeting location like a city hall or library, "is our base camp until we have better information about what we're up against. You bring the princess back and whoever else she calls to our aid, Windy. We'll exchange information then."  
"This wasn't supposed to be how the trip went," the hybrid dragon sighed heavily.

As soon as the platform touched the forest floor Windy had taken wing and was racing through the enormous trunks of the elfwood trees. For her the trunks had twenty or so feet between them, plenty of room for her wings to stretch out. For the trees though that much space was akin to standing only a foot away from another. Windy didn't know where she was going; she just wanted to put as much distance between her and the drow as possible before she called on Krystal to open a portal. All it would take would be a drow that was aligned with the element of magic to sense the portal and she could doom her friends.

The hybrid's heart was pounding, partly from her break-neck flying speed but mostly from the fear of confronting the princess with the fact she had gone behind her back and led others into Uzern. Windy careened to the side and tilted her wings perpendicular to the ground as she swooped around a large bush full of red berries of some kind. There was more sun here suddenly, enough to let the bush grow. With the sun came the absence of the phosphorescent plants that had been the only source of light deeper into the forest. Windy could see the bright light of open space ahead of her and knew the drow wouldn't be found out in the open. That would be where she called to Krystal.

Windy cringed and shut her eyes when she burst out into the bright late-morning sunlight. Compared to the dark forest she had just been inside it was glaringly harsh and uncomfortable. The hybrid cracked her eyes open, she was still flying after all. The Whirlwindling was surprised to find herself on the bank of a lake and no sooner had she realized where she was did she end up right over the water. She watched the glassy surface ripple under the current of her passing and beat her wings to gain altitude. There was an island in the middle, well a sandbar or rock outcropping at least. Once she reached it she would call on her Portal Master. A lump had moved to the hybrid's throat, what _was_ she going to tell Seraphina? The princess had never given her a reason to be afraid of how she might react but Windy was more worried about disappointing her than upsetting her. She didn't want Seraphina to think she couldn't be trusted.

"Ugh, _I_ am the biggest shoob in the history of shoobs!" Windy scolded herself as she alighted on the island. Her blue and white wings were folded at her sides before Windy kicked at a rock in front of her and inhaled deeply for a sigh. She took some solace in the fact that she had not told her other friends of the temporary transformation the party she had originally traveled to Uzern with had undergone into their true selves, her transgression could still be salvaged. For the first time since she had exited the elfwood forest Windy turned around to see it from the outside. Her jaw dropped when she saw the white trunks shining like pillars of light in the sun and the beautiful canopy of purple leaves that swayed in the breeze spread out as far as the eye could see in either direction. The trees were enormous! They stretched up so high they met low level clouds that obscured parts of them before they broke the top and climbed up higher into the sky. And there with the blue of sky between the impossibly high tops of the trees and the upside down mountains was the city-island Haven. The height made Windy who was a Skylander used to flying dizzy. How was the air even breathable that high up?

The anchor vines that had been as thick as tree trunks when Windy saw them up close looked like strands of thread now woven around pebbles. A waterfall cascaded down into the elfwood and Windy saw the tributary that it formed meet the lake she was in the middle of. That waterfall meant that somewhere in the elfwood was another waterfall, one that defied gravity and flowed _up_ to feed Haven with the water needed to supply the city as well as form the waterfall Windy could see. The blue hybrid shifted on her feet as she enjoyed the scene a moment longer. The forest was just as impressive when seen from the outside as it was from the inside. She might never have ever seen Uzern if she hadn't been in the right place at the right time on Fetter Foothold hub.  
"Krystal," Windy called at last, "I need a portal to Meir Valan." She closed her eyes, almost hoping Krystal wasn't active in Skylands at the moment. Her heart sank when she felt the familiar pull of an open portal and saw the changing colors on the backs of her eyelids. Reluctantly Windy stepped into the portal, she knew she had to warn the elves of Tour but just wished she didn't have to admit she brought outsiders in.

Sprint moved silently through the dead city with Lunar and Mystic. Mystic had retreated to her djinn bottle for the time being and was nestled on Sprint's back. It wasn't that she couldn't be stealthy; it was just that she was so large it was hard to take cover behind the smaller objects Lunar and Sprint could duck under.  
Lunar held one slender, black nailed finger to her lips and pointed to the corner of the building. The spirits had warned her of a drow patrol. Quickly she pointed back the way they had come to an open window. Sprint nodded and dashed off to it in haste. She deposited Mystic's bottle inside before she vaulted up into it herself and scurried away from the window into the gloom of the building.  
Lunar flipped through the window herself and motioned again for Sprint to follow her. Once they had reached the far wall of the building they found another window that would allow them to watch the approaching drow without being seen themselves. The vines that grew thick over it had the barest spaces for them to peer out into the half-light of the city. Mystic emerged from the bottle and hovered over the smaller two Skylanders to peer out the vines as well.

"Kinda funny how hard the eirian fought to keep our ancestors from taking the city from them and here they abandoned it themselves," one drow soldier dressed in light leather armor with a bow slung over his shoulder said to another.  
His companion was dressed in the divided robe and trousers of a warlock, the drow version of a battle mage. The warlock had a face that seemed to be chiseled from stone with the color to match and hardly appeared to blink as he walked so smoothly he gave the appearance of floating like a Hexling. "The city is not abandoned," the warlock snapped. "I and other casters can _feel_ the magic of recent portals. Even if whoever uses them is not currently here we would be fools to assume we're unfound."  
"I bet the nearby kingdoms have Skylanders," the drow archer shrugged. "Probably visiting old haunts."  
"I doesn't matter," the warlock chided, "If they are allowed to return with word of our occupation then we will be ousted. Asmodeus wants to remain in the heart of Tour as per Kaos's instructions."

The archer snorted and made a show of tossing his head, "You really think Asmodeus is going to follow Kaos forever?"  
"No," the other drow said with the first change in his expression. The grin he gave was rather sinister and foreboding. "I have no illusions about Master Asmodeus remaining an underling. Now that he has that pet of his things will be different."  
The archer held up a hand and began to tick off items, "So first we locate the gargoyle clans. Second we take command of them and then use them to subdue the rulers of Tour thereby putting the combined might of the armies under our control. I'm confused though, Breen. At that point won't we have to inform Kaos Tour has fallen? There are those among us still faithfully loyal to him."

Breen laughed a harsh sound. "Asmodeus is counting on that! If Kaos attempts to strike back at us the armies of Tour will protect their continent. It won't look at all out of sorts with the people or Skylanders. While Tour is fighting Kaos our own infiltrators can move in and systematically erase the current rulers and position themselves in power before the armies are forced to turn on the Skylanders. Kaos loses any edge he thought he could attain and Skylands falls to the force of Tour's armies. Kaos gave up on the darkness when he thought it failed him, he doesn't understand how it works. The fool," Breen shook his head.

Lunar suppressed the gasp that tried to escape the hand she had long ago clamped to her mouth. She turned wide eyes to Sprint and Mystic and allowed her hand to move at last, "That's enough. We have to return to Steek now. The spirits said the drow _know_ we are about and are going to keep talking in an effort to make us reveal ourselves," she whispered furiously.  
"Is what they said true?" Mystic narrowed her eyes at the backs of the retreating duo. "Why have we heard nothing of this Asmodeus if he is such a key player in Kaos's forces?"  
"Treat it as you heard it but expect something more and different," Sprint murmured. "Have the spirits lead us out, Lunar. Spread the word to both Steek's group and Timber's. I wish we could pass it to Windy as well." The Stealthling picked up Mystic's bottle and slung it back over her shoulder before the Ninjiniling retreated into it.  
"Is recon always this easy?" Lunar asked quietly as she led Sprint through a different series of rooms.  
"Only when we're being baited," the Stealthling replied with narrowed eyes. "How can they be so sure we're here?"

Timber had barely received the message from the trees and relayed it to Polo and Scorch. Timber knew things had been lost in the translation from spirit to tree and then to the ent but he translated it as best he could. Return to Steek; the drow know we are here, was the basis of the message and had been what Timber told the other two. But Scorch wasn't in the mood to play it cool. The impetuous dragon had gone looking for trouble and found it.

A unit of drow had surrounded the three Skylanders in the dark forest under Uzern. Goliaths, archers, warlocks and witches made up the force that had outnumbered the Skylanders eight to one.  
"Bravo Scorch, bravo," Polo snarled at his fellow Skylander. The Wrecking Balling puffed his cheeks out then flicked his long, sticky and barbed tongue out at the blades one of the witches had summoned. Rather than swallow them like he normally did Polo curled his tongue back in and just before it reached his mouth he flicked it out again to throw the projectiles back at the drow.  
"Run!" Timber commanded as he raised his arms above his head, arched his back and slammed both fists into the ground. The strange red gauntlet-like bark on his right forearm grew barbs that shot out upon impact. The force of his slam alone sent shockwaves through the earth that knocked a few drow over and at least made the others fight for footing amid the surprise spikes the Tree Rexling had dispatched.

Scorch had taken to the air and used the opportunity to swoop past the drow and spit fire at them to confuse them and make them focus on him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Polo retract his tongue and drop down from the tree trunk he had clung to in order to avoid Timber's shockwave. The little grub continued to roll like a ball that effectively knocked down unsuspecting drow. He rolled right through them before a tree root stopped him and the blue Skylander hopped back to his feet to flick his tongue out rapidly at drow as Scorch resumed his fire attacks.

One of the warlocks cast a lightning spell that hit Polo's tongue and arched down the length to rattle the poor grub. His chin hit the ground, his tongue still extended and the mewling sound he made was heart-wrenching when combined with the fact the Wrecking Balling's face and tongue were covered in crimson blood. Much to Polo's horror when he tried to stand his tongue stayed behind. The Wrecking Balling spat out blood in disbelief, he had bitten his tongue off! The shock lasted for only a moment before his expression hardened and the little grub puffed himself up with air and violently bounced himself at the drow before he belched out a cloud of noxious green gas. If they thought he was done for they were wrong. His tongue would grow back soon enough; the magical qualities that imbued his little armored body guaranteed it. At least Polo thought that was the case. He had heard other Wrecking Ballings had tongues grow back but he had never lost his before.

"What is that awful stench?" one of the witches gagged. Next to her a warlock had actually vomited and seemed to be incapacitated. "Snap out of it," she hissed and kicked him. The warlock fell over in the puddle of vomit and didn't even register it had happened. The witch growled and reached down to grab him by the collar but never made it, a green lance of energy took her hand and part of her arm off in a searing blast that had her scream cover up nearly every other sound.  
Another nearby witch threw out a dozen blades to try and catch Timber in the blindside. He held onto his cannon attack and the beam decimated the blades before they could reach him. The witch flung herself quickly behind one of the two goliaths with them to bide her time.

"Idiots," Scorch muttered to himself when he swung back around and saw drow cowering behind a goliath. They were sitting ducks, he grinned. Scorch's jaws opened and three balls of fire shot out at once. The dragon wheeled up in alarm when an arrow raced by his snout and hissed in pain when another took him in the shoulder. Three more arrows narrowly missed him before the dragon realized he was the most vulnerable to the archers with nothing to block him from their sight. He angled his wings to take him to the left before he tucked them in against his sides and went into a dive that ended with his horns smashing into the back of an unsuspecting goliath's head.

Timber pivoted on his left foot and fired another blast from his photosynthesis cannon. He turned again for yet another one, he knew now he wasn't imagining it. The drow were multiplying. There had been none wielding swords or lances in the beginning but now he saw them among the others. Scorch had pulled one of his classic bone-headed moves. The only person he ever really listened to was Krystal and since the Portal Master wasn't around he was up to his old tricks. "You fool!" Timber yelled when he spotted the Spyroling bowling over a group of lance men that thought they were a match for the dragon.  
"Fight harder!" Scorch yelled back. "Put your backs into it ladies!"  
Polo rolled up to Timber and slammed into his leg. The giant kept the crowd back as the little grub recovered and shook out his head. "We ah in wuble," he mumbled.

"What was that, I didn't catch it," Timber said as he focused on the drow all around. Where were they coming from, there had to be at least sixty now! The giant glanced down long enough to see Polo retract what was left of his tongue and Timber felt a pang of guilt. He was the leader of the group; he should have held Scorch under better control. "Scorch has the right idea," Timber muttered. He had to stop using his cannon to scoop Polo up with that arm before he shifted the little grub to the other arm. Timber then raised his gauntleted hand before him and charged with a bellow at the drow. Not even the goliath dared to stand their ground when the giant whose foot falls shook the earth bore down on them. "I don't think we're going back up to the city. I'll get us out of this, don't you worry."

Ashlina wouldn't accept defeat. Even though they had subdued Steek and the Ignitorling wasn't moving she wasn't about to let the drow subdue her. They held catch poles, nooses on sticks, for the express purpose of restraining the dragon. How had they known to meet her and Steek with them to begin with? Ashlina hissed and screeched at the drow that had her backed into a corner where she tried desperately to protect Steek. She swatted out with her claws, one of the drow had silenced her other abilities with some kind of charm she could see hanging around his neck and left Ashlina with only tooth, claw and tail. The Cynderling lowered her head and let out a menacing hiss while her thickly corded muscles bulged in the preparation of a lunge. The drow prepared for it by moving out and leaving an opening to tempt her. Ashlina knew their ploy and surprised them when she whipped around instead and sent the barbed end of her tail sailing at the head of one of the handlers. The drow blocked with the pole while the other managed to slip the end of his over her tail.

Ashlina's tail pulled back on her unexpectedly, when she arched her neck around she saw the noose tightened around her scales. She was surprised by the horrible electric current that followed and cried out in surprise and pain as her legs gave out and she hit the ground with her belly.  
"Her neck, her neck!" the drow that held her tail called. He jolted her again to keep her mellow and give his companion time enough to slip the second noose over her horned head and tighten around the dragon's delicately arching neck.  
"Ah-ah," the drow that had the noose around her neck grinned wickedly. "You pull too hard and the wire will bite into those pretty little scales of yours." He gave her a jolt of electricity to remind her that he held all the cards. "On your feet, mongrel," the drow hissed.  
Ashlina whimpered and complied. She looked back to Steek, his flames were so soft and he lay so still. Why hadn't he retreated to Earth if he was that wounded? In a moment of shame Ashlina tried to do the same thing but was alarmed to find she couldn't.

"She tried it!" the drow at her tail laughed. "Oh man can Asmodeus call 'em or what?"  
"Where the hell's backup?" the drow at Ashlina's head spat. "There's no way we're gonna be able to take them both like this."  
"Get the lizard to carry him on her back. Make her do the heavy lifting."  
Ashlina hissed at the nearest drow and got an electrical jolt for the trouble. "Wanna try it again? I've got a wager with my friend that I'm itching to see realized. I wonder how much of a current you can take before you urinate and defecate on yourself. He says it's gonna take both of us using our poles. I say only one of us can manage it. Give me an excuse to test it," the drow grinned lewdly.

Ashlina blinked the tears out of her eyes, never had she been so scared before. Around her were spirits of the Fallen of Uzern, the poor elves were helpless to do anything and Ashlina knew that their vow to protect the city would be powerful enough for them to interact with the drow. She kept hearing the same thing over and over from them, _we cannot harm them. Something very powerful is keeping us in check. _What could be powerful enough to hold the spirits of the dead from carrying out the vow they had made?

"Hurry up, wench," one of the drow grunted at her. "Pick up the fire starter and let's go."  
How could the drow keep Skylanders from retreating to heal? Was it now possible for them to die if wounded gravely enough? If this Asmodeus was behind it and he served Kaos, did that mean Kaos had another trick to use against the Skylanders? Ashlina couldn't help but tremble in terror as she struggled to lift Steek up onto her back.

Windy didn't care that she was causing a scene, since she hadn't specified where in Meir Valan Krystal should send her the Portal Master had opened a portal in the countryside beyond the westernmost gate. Rather than call to her again Windy had chosen to take flight. She raced past rumbling carts and elves pointing skyward at her. The Whirlwindling didn't care as she sped through the gates and ignored the shouts of the guards to halt. She gained altitude to skim the tops of buildings and weave around taller structures in the city all without taking her eyes off the palace. She hoped with every fiber of her being that the princess was inside, if not she would lose the nerve to speak to her.

The palace grew to fill her whole field of vision and Windy set down in an action that looked more like a dive than a graceful landing. She hit the ground running and panted hard as she at first stumbled but quickly regained her footing.  
A familiar face had just exited the palace and she stared slack jawed at the blue hybrid charging her.  
"Lady Morwen! Lady Morwen!" Windy cried out with tears streaming down her face to match. She tripped over the stairs leading up to the palace and remained prone on them as she sobbed. Morwen knelt by her side and tried to help her up but Windy made no effort to budge.  
"By the light, Windy, what is the matter?" Morwen asked with a tremble in her voice.  
"Where is Seraphina or any of the other Skylanders? I need to see them; they need to know that drow are in Uzern!" Windy balled.

All color drained from Morwen's face, she looked white as a sheet. "On your feet, Windy. You are a Skylander, for shame going to pieces at a time like this!" Morwen said with firmness in her voice that shocked Windy into compliance. "Come with me, quickly now! They are meeting with gargoyle emissaries from the Marble Clan."  
Windy composed herself and rose to her feet again, her chest and chin were numb from where they had hit the edges of steps but the Whirlwindling chose to ignore it in favor of hurrying after Morwen.

"Alpha Nephilim will send an embassy to the other clans," Wraith was informing the king and queen of Meir Valan. With him was Nivaeus and Ginny-Li as well as all three of the royal children and the other Skylanders Meilyr and Crevan. Niall was absent and most likely still in Hawk Ridge. Commander Roghallach and Captain Avon stood in the back of the room in roles as witnesses only and would not be involved in the discussions unless addressed first. Wraith held both hands out and raised them alternatingly as visuals for the points he was about to make, "If things in Uzern and the events of this morning's drow sighting are any indication then we may find ourselves overwhelmed with visitors. I don't think I need to express to you our desire to remain a largely unknown element. The gargoyles will retreat in on themselves if the rest of Skylands takes an interest in Tour, specifically Uzern." The gargoyle finished by drawing his hands in close to his heart as if he were protecting something.

"We too want nothing more than to keep the events of the city under wraps," Hayden agreed. He was still having a hard time seeing the three giants as the gargoyles he knew them to be. He had accepted his children and their companions in a heartbeat but the gargoyles were harder to swallow for some reason. "We will also offer to shelter any gargoyles that have traveled far from home in the event we see an increase in non-Tour persons."  
"Trade will have to cease for a while, I'm afraid," Ginny-Li sighed. The Ninjiniling held one gauntleted hand up and pointed back towards the door of the audience hall, "The merchants from other regions so far haven't stirred up anything about the gargoyle traders they've seen but that's not to say an interest in Tour won't suddenly loosen their lips about some of our more unique aspects."  
The Swarmling Nivaeus nodded his agreement, "Aspects that even though the gargoyle traders know not to speak of could be learned by other means."

"Forgive me," Seraphina said suddenly, "I feel this has some relevance and must know; what _have_ we learned from the goliath in custody?"  
"That he is part of a larger force," Hayden replied tersely. "And that they are here somewhere on Tour for reasons we cannot yet extract from him."  
"I could," Seraphina said simply. She raised her hand the moment both of her parents as well as siblings began to protest all at once. "I _could_," she reiterated, "but I cannot for the obvious reasons. If we do not intend to kill the drow in the dungeons he will have a tale to tell. I cannot break his mind either, that is no different than death."  
"Allow me to interrogate him, King Hayden," Wraith bowed to the elven king. "There are methods that perhaps you have not tried." The Hot Headling flexed his fingers then balled them into fists.  
"If you aim to torture him," Hayden warned, "I am not sure I can condone that."

"And you think they would not do the same to anyone of your people that they capt-" Ginny-Li started to say when the door to the audience hall opened without warning and a hybrid Skylander with panic in her eyes burst in followed by Lady Morwen.  
"Forgive me," Morwen curtsied hastily. "This could not wait."  
"Drow! There are drow in Uzern! Oh princess I am so sorry!" Windy sobbed. She thought she had her emotions under control but upon seeing the whole of the royal family and the other friends she had made gathered in one place she couldn't fight the overwhelming sensation of guilt. The three giants were unknown presences but the way they studied the Whirlwindling made her skin crawl with the feeling of being a mouse in a room of hungry cats.  
Roghallach and Avon both moved further into the room and stood behind Windy almost as a means to keep her from leaving suddenly.  
"Where did this information come from?" Roghallach questioned quickly.

"How do you know, you went _back_ after we stressed the importance of maintaining secrecy? You _led_ them in?" the prince demanded. Anicetus's flames turned blood red and he went for his sword. Meilyr's enormous paw was the only thing that kept him from drawing his weapon.  
"You should have known you could not trust someone who did not share our heritage," Eloryn barked at Seraphina.  
"Hold your tongues!" the eldest princess snapped at her siblings. "Let her finish!"  
Avon spoke up from behind Windy about then, "I agree, there is more to the story and it needs to be heard."

"What more do you want? We were betrayed," Anicetus snapped right back. He turned back to Windy, "How many of your friends did you take sightseeing? Where are they now?"  
"I cannot believe you would trust an outsider on our holy grounds. You! A High Priestess and you are to be the Queen of Haven!" Eloryn said in disbelief.  
"I made a choice to help rebuild relations between Meir Valan and the Core Skylanders!" Seraphina replied. She faced down her siblings alone, Meilyr restrained her brother and Crevan held back Eloryn. The princess wished she had Niall's support, his age and wisdom would have understood where she was coming from. At least she hoped so, he might have frowned upon the situation with Uzern as well. In the back of her mind the princess wondered why no one saw fit to make sure she didn't try to lunge at her siblings the way others held them from doing it to her.

"I want to hear the whole story," the king boomed. "Speak now, how do you know of the drow?" Hayden asked Windy loudly over the sounds of his children arguing. He watched Delyth rise from her seat and silently move herself between their three offspring. With their mother's face darker than a thunderhead the trio fell silent and turned their attention to Windy. Hayden too took the opportunity to rise and stand alongside Delyth.  
"I," the hybrid swallowed hard. Morwen was still next to her and Windy found herself subconsciously scooting closer to the lady for protection. She could feel the eyes of the commander and captain on the back of her head. "I took eight others of Krystal's Skylanders with me. I didn't tell them about how Uzern made us our true selves! I just wanted them to see the city, to see that the legends of an abandoned city in the trees were true! Maybe even to see the spirits but I wasn't going to take them to the temple! I was going to keep my promise!"  
Delyth held up her hand when she heard one of her children draw in breath to speak. Anicetus muttered but didn't complete his thought. "Windy, Uzern is holy ground and under the jurisdiction of Queen Elanniah Alistair. You unknowingly trespassed onto her land." There was no accusation in the queen's tone; she was simply stating a fact as gently as possible.  
"I didn't know!" the hybrid squeaked, "No one told me! I thought it was safe because Seraphina led us there!"

"I am so sorry, Windy," the princess sighed with downcast eyes, "I should have stressed to you the rules. As elven royalty I am allowed to enter Uzern at will, as a priestess so too can I enter if on a pilgrimage. I invited you, Cynder and Camo as a sign of goodwill. I did not expect you would return with others. I had thought however that it was agreed to keep Uzern quiet."  
Windy shifted nervously from foot to foot, she couldn't exactly blame the princess for not warning her. Windy had read between the lines and decided that she had agreed to protect the secret of Uzern from escaping. Bringing others into the city was harmless if they never set foot in the temple and never interacted with the Prime High Priest. However, while she wouldn't admit to it she had chosen her group in hopes of a repeat of certain events if not the exact one she had experienced her first visit.

"I just thought the city was the cheese," the hybrid heaved a sigh and turned a face contorted with shame and guilt on the members of the royal family. Seraphina looked apologetic; Windy could tell she was blaming herself. The queen looked passive while Anicetus's red flames and rigid posture said he was furious. Eloryn held a dark look and her tail was thrashing behind her like an angry cat's. The king could have been made from stone for all the indication giving of what he was thinking. That thought terrified Windy more than the obvious anger from his two youngest children.

The hybrid looked to others in the room for help. Crevan and Meilyr looked straight ahead as if they couldn't see her and the three giants she hadn't yet met had their heads bowed and hands clasped in front of them. They almost seemed removed from the situation and while it was obvious they weren't going to take part in the proceedings they didn't look the least bit uncomfortable by being left out. Windy glanced up to see Morwen too had her head bowed but she gave the barest nod to let the Whirlwindling know it was alright. Windy was too terrified to look behind her at the two officers lest they think it was an effort to escape.  
"When we arrived," Windy continued without a prompt, "Timber, a Tree Rexling, commented that the trees were confused by something. It wasn't until we were in the city streets did Lunar the Hexling and Ashlina the Cynderling learn of the spirits and the drow in the city. I was sent away to warn you. Please, we have to go back! My friends could be in danger!"

"They should not have been there in the first place," Hayden said so coldly it made Windy shiver. His eyes flicked around the room to the gathered Skylanders. "I will let this transgression slide," he said much to the chagrin of Anicetus and Eloryn, "Only because your disobedience led to a discovery that would not have been made without it. You will return to Uzern after first visiting Queen Elanniah and informing her of the threat on her doorstep. If any retribution is to come to pass it will be by her hand."  
"I will visit Queen Elanniah alone," Seraphina said. Her siblings protested and did so loudly. This time the queen couldn't calm them nor could the king. The group was taken by surprise when all of a sudden all sound from the youngest members of the royal family ceased.  
Anicetus continued to make gestures that indicated he was ranting and Eloryn's jaw was working furiously as her body language complimented the words no one could hear. Hayden and Delyth both looked back to Seraphina in unison.  
"Let them vent," she scowled. "I will raise them up off the floor if they try to advance on me after realizing I have silenced them. Ah good, that took less time than I thought," she said when Anicetus and Eloryn looked at each other in surprise upon noticing they couldn't hear the other yelling.

"I will go visit Queen Elanniah," Seraphina said once her siblings had stilled themselves and been released from their silence. "The two of you will lead Windy and the others back into Uzern," Seraphina pointed to her siblings. "Wraith, I implore you to lend your services. The strength you and the others hold will be greatly appreciated."  
Wraith clapped a fist to his chest and bowed. "Then you shall have my services, Soothsayer," the Hot Headling replied using the title granted to the gargoyle holy man. Each clan had only one so it was a great honor to be given the title especially since Seraphina wasn't a gargoyle. Nivaeus and Ginny-Li followed his example and put fists to their chests before they too bowed.

"And how do you expect to gain access to Queen Elanniah looking as you do? No one will recognize you and you have no time to convince them." Roghallach questioned Seraphina. "With the group of you together you could impress importance upon the queen and at least get an audience with Prince Ceron."  
"You are coming with me," Seraphina said simply. The whole of the room was surprised by that.  
"He's not a Skylander, he can't use the portals! And the ships don't travel fast enough to get you there in time!" Windy was the only one to say what everyone thought.  
"Leave the details to me," Seraphina said simply. "Call on Krystal to take you back to Uzern, Windy. If I cannot hail Sean then I will have one of you try for your own on my behalf."  
"I want you back here as soon as the issue is resolved, all of you. Do you understand?" Hayden swept his gaze and a pointed finger over every single Skylander in the room and only put his finger down when they nodded in return.


	22. Siege of the Elfwood

**Siege of the Elfwood**

The rest of the Skylanders had already departed, Roghallach stood next to Seraphina and stared at the swirling portal he was about to step into.  
"Whatever you do, do not let go of me," Seraphina ordered him as she took his hand. "Follow me, let nothing distract you and do not stop for anything. The void will devour you and trap you if you lose sight of your goal. Ignore everything that you see or hear. I am all that matters. Do you understand?"  
The amusement Roghallach would have felt at the way Seraphina was drilling the information into his head was lost in a sea of doubt and worry over the state of things in Uzern. "I understand, Princess." He looked back to Avon, the captain was staring at the swirling vortex of light and only realized Roghallach was watching him when the queen cleared her throat. "Rally the army; inform them of all that we know. Speak with Carwyn and get the rangers patrolling the streets and surrounding woods. Word needs to be sent to Hawk Ridge as well."

"I have already sent word," Seraphina said plainly. "Niall is delivering the message as we speak then he will seek out Spyro and the other three Cores that came with us originally. They have as much a right to be a part of this as any of us."  
"Light I have missed your psionic abilities," Roghallach said wirily. "Everything is so much easier with them."  
"Send our regards to Queen Elanniah," Seraphina's father said. "I leave Windy's sentencing to her; it was her land that was trespassed upon."  
"Be careful, dear," Delyth said to her daughter as she embraced her one last time. It took Hayden tugging her arm gently before she stepped back and let her daughter lead the commander into the portal. A moment later and they were gone.  
"Have the mages do sendings to all of their contacts in other cities and kingdoms," Hayden said as he turned to Avon. "If the drow in Uzern are a large enough force it will be safe to assume more attention is being given to us and everyone should be prepared."

Void was the proper word for where Roghallach found himself. There was no up or down, left or right. There were no landmark features, just an empty sea of black. What there was to see was a whole lot of space and a whole lot of other Skylanders slipping in and out of invisible doorways. Roghallach swore he saw a few figures that were drow, trolls and other minions of Kaos's as well.  
"Roghallach, I need you to focus," Seraphina said.  
Her voice sounded so far away to him and nearly blended in with the strange cacophony of other voices around him. When the commander turned back to her he was surprised to find her looking misty and dream-like, only he looked solid. The more he stared at her though the more real and solid she became. "What was that?"  
"If your focus drifts the void will swallow you," she replied. Now her voice sounded like it was next him and normal. "Walk with me."  
"How?" Roghallach asked. There was no ground for him to press off of; he couldn't even tell if he was right side up because every other figure he saw was at such strange angles. Some looked to be walking up the walls, others on the ceiling and there were those that moved at every angle between.

"Do not think of it," her voice sounded far away again, "Just do it." Once Roghallach realized how distant Seraphina sounded her voice seemed to gain strength again. "Like that, good." She gave his hand a squeeze and led him through the blackness.  
Roghallach moved along behind the princess and began to panic when she vanished bit by bit into something he couldn't see. The commander thought his heart would burst from his chest when his hand then arm seemed to disappear.

Roghallach gasped for air and felt as if he had just fallen through ice into frigid water when his feet hit the stone road that lead to the gates of Haven.  
"Breathe, Roghallach. In through your nose and out through your mouth. Good. Take a moment to recover. You did fine; I vomited on my first portal trip. Anicetus did so the first month of his. Eloryn fainted dead away a few times."  
Roghallach leaned over and braced his hands on his knees as he gulped down air hungrily. It felt like he had been in that empty space for ages. "How much time did we lose?" he said when finally he felt well enough to speak.  
"None, as we stepped into the one in Meir Valan we emerged from this one. The limbo environment of the void allows time to seemingly stop outside of it unless you linger too long. Grandmaster Eon is trapped in there somewhere," Seraphina said. She watched Roghallach stand up then moved in closer to him to open his eyes wider with her fingers.

The commander let the Hexling study him without protest and took comfort in her nod when she had finished. "You saw Kaos's forces in there?" she asked as she turned towards the city's gates. "The urge to attack is strong on both sides but if you set foot off your predetermined path you might find yourself forever lost in that place. That is the only time we willingly walk by one another without conflict."  
"How do you know where to go?" Roghallach questioned as he fell in step with her. He walked with a wobble, his legs hadn't yet steadied.  
"You _feel_ the pull of the portal. When Skylanders bond with a Portal Master we learn to feel the path out. It is very similar to my psionics. You must bond with a Portal Master to use the portals and you can only follow the path between the portals opened for you. I extended my will to you and granted you temporary access to the portal. Should you try to use one now you will find yourself simply standing in the middle of pretty swirling lights."  
"I hope I never have to use one again," Roghallach groaned.

With Spyro now in tow on Eon's island Niall had set to finding the other Cores. "I think Camo has left the island," Spyro told the orc. "Cynder should be down at the beach and Hex is, well Hex is Hex. She'll probably just pop up like she was supposed to be found on accident."  
"Seraphina wanted all four of you to meet her in Haven," Niall said as he looked at passing Skylanders. "Light, now that I am looking for someone I can see the frustration in seeing so many copies of them pass by!"  
"We're wasting time!" Spyro complained. "I will vouch for you and the princess. You tried, the effort was made but if we are to be of any use we must go now!"  
"Go where?"  
"See!" Spyro exclaimed, "I _told_ you Hex would just magically appear!"

"Lady Hex," Niall said with a bow. "We have not met yet, my name is Niall Miach. I am a friend of Seraphina's and would like to request your company on a trip to Uzern. Drow have been found within the holy city."  
Hex eyed the strange looking orc carefully and her eyes widened at the mention of drow in Uzern. "Seraphina is wise to reach out to me. Where are Cynder and Camo?"  
"Forget Camo," Spyro shook his head. "As soon as we make it to our destination have your Portal Master send Cynder to us."  
"You are lucky he is active," Hex said slowly. "Very well, make haste."

"We might find Timber, Scorch and Polo down here," Windy said as she and the group from Meir Valan trudged through the darkened forest floor. Anicetus and Eloryn kept their distance from the Whirlwindling; they clearly didn't think she should be back in the ancient city. Crevan and Meilyr were closer to the hybrid and two giants but still hung back.  
"What do they look like again?" Nivaeus asked the hybrid. His wings kept fluttering be it from anxiety or a habit the Skylander had picked up during his tenure as the giant bee was unknown.  
"Timber is the the walking tree. Polo is the round, blue grub and Scorch is a purple dragon like Spyro."  
"I miss my sense of smell," Wraith scowled. "The forest is all I can smell, nothing else is strong enough for my weakened senses." The Hot Headling kept raising his nose to the air regardless as if trying hard enough would remedy it.

"There was a battle here recently," Ginny-Li murmured from an alabaster trunk ahead of the others. She ran her blue hand over the blackened and scarred trunk. "Broken mushroom stalks, the caps are still glowing. We can't be more than a few moments behind them." The Ninjiniling narrowed her eyes and peered out further into the forest to try and catch an indication of where they had gone. There was a fair amount of leaves covering the forest floor and little piles indicated where a foot might have pushed them together when rebalancing to change directions or attack types.  
"They were surrounded," Wraith murmured from where he knelt in an area heavily trampled. "This looks to have been caused by your ent," he pointed to the large round marks in the areas of bare dirt. Wraith's own footprints were similar in size and shape but he hadn't yet moved around as much as the other prints had.

"But where are they?" Windy asked with drooping ears.  
"They dragged the ent out of here. Look." Wraith stood up and moved away leaves that had swirled into the path and sure enough there were drag marks in the dirt from something heavy.  
"They are heading to one of the platforms," Crevan pointed out. "They have taken them into the city."  
"But it could have just as easily been Polo and Scorch that dragged him, right?" Windy asked. "Right?" she said louder when others exchanged looks.  
"And they failed to return to Earth to rest and heal?" Eloryn asked. "What are the odds?"  
Windy backed up from the sight of the battle. "I just wanted to think…"

"We're losing time," Nivaeus said when the resulting silence became deafening. "We came here to save some Skylanders and figure out why the drow are here." The giant Swarmling's feet made dull thumps as he walked through the clearing and towards the platform Crevan had said the drag trail led to. Nivaeus didn't need to point it out, everyone already knew it. Skylanders were never truly in danger with the ability to leave Skylands and return to Earth but no one had adopted the mentality that it was fine to leave companions behind. That wasn't how the Skylanders operated.

"I will stay here, Wraith," Ginny-Li said. "I want to scout and ensure there will be no surprises following us into the city. We don't know if all of the drow are up there or not."  
The Hot Headling looked at her with a critical eye. "I want one of you to stay with her."  
"I will," Crevan offered. "I think our skills will work well together if needed."  
Wraith looked between the two for a while before he finally nodded. "I don't know how familiar you are with gargoyles, Crevan, but for the moment you are like family to Ginny-Li. I expect you treat her as you would a sister because she will treat you as a brother. For now that is what you are, battle-sister and battle-brother."  
Crevan bowed his head and pulled the fedora off as an afterthought, "I understand Wraith."

"Unless you wish to remain with Ginny-Li as well the rest of you are with me," Wraith left no room for argument and took off after Nivaeus who had stopped to listen to the proceedings in the main group.  
"I believe one of us should lead," Anicetus protested.  
"One of _us_?" Wraith asked as he turned back around and looked between the Ignitorling and Flashwingling. "Prince Anicetus this may be in elven lands but I have far more experience than you in combat and leading others in it. _I _will lead so long as your other sister is not here."  
"Just go with it, Ani," Eloryn rolled her eyes. "Or we will spend all day arguing over who plays at war better."  
"I want to save my friends, please can we just go!?" Windy nearly shouted in a voice that cracked. "I'm going to follow Wraith. You can go off on your own if you want."  
"Fine," the Ignitorling snapped. He turned his head towards Meilyr and the Fizzling knew that if he hadn't been nothing more than a fire spirit the prince would have just given him a death glare for his silence. "I will remain with you as well, Wraith." He didn't need to say it was because he didn't trust Windy on her own, everyone already understood his thought.

Above the elfwood, in the heart of Haven life moved at a steady pace. The people in the streets were all smiles and business as they passed others with friendly words of greeting and scurried about their tasks unaware of the troubles below.  
The atmosphere inside the palace was a different feel altogether.

The room was a soft yellow color, be it from the sheer amount of light that entered through the various round windows and enormous skylight ceiling or not didn't really matter. The walls were nearly hidden behind neatly trimmed and cared for vines that flowered with pink primroses and red trumpet flowers. A narrow waterfall cascaded over natural stone that seemed to pour out of the far wall of the room and between a pair of large, sweeping spiral staircases. The area around the waterfall was a green belt with a manicured lawn full of wild flowers. The spray from the fall never touched the pale yellow floors of the palace with the greenbelt there to absorb it and pass it to the palace's method of displacement. The flowing water was directed through a series of artificial canals that formed a sunburst pattern under tempered glass floors before it met four pools in the corners of the room that were open and dotted with lily pads and swimming fish. Planters sat near the ponds and overflowed with ferns and like plants with enormous leaves that nearly hid the pots they were in.

The ponds themselves drained out into a natural moat in front of the palace that from there passed underground before the water met with the lake outside of the city proper. It had always been the flow of the water, when the palace was built the water was merely taken in a longer path before it could meet with the aquifer under the city. Right in the middle of the sunburst pattern was a tiny copse of flowering shrubs trimmed into perfect orbs and surrounded by stone benches lined with plush cushions. The whole of the room was meant to look like there was very little difference between outside and inside. When viewed from outside it seemed as if the palace had simply grown out of the rock wall it was positioned against with its multi-tiered waterfall that finally reached bottom inside the palace's entrance hall and to either side of the structure. During periods of heavy rain the waterfall could be re-routed to pass only to either side of the building so the palace entrance hall wouldn't flood. The elves so did love to bring the elements of life into their style of living.

Seraphina and Commander Roghallach stood before Queen Elanniah Alistair and her son Prince Ceron in the entrance hall of the palace just before the copse of shrubs and its meditation benches. The queen had raced to meet with the Meir Valan elves when Seraphina reached out to her mentally and informed her of the danger in the elfwood below.  
"I had my worries when you first told me of your visit to Uzern but had hoped things would have gone a different way. Regardless of the fact your friend Windy discovered a drow occupation in Uzern I am displeased with her return and trespass. I demand an audience with her and these other Skylanders she slipped into Uzern with."  
"Yes, of course Queen Elanniah," Seraphina said with her head down. "I will ensure you are met with their compliance."

"Now, let us make haste and move to the issue at hand." Elanniah was keenly aware of the fact more Skylanders waited outside and after a moment told the guard that had delivered the news to show them in.  
"I will gladly follow the lead of your Commander, Queen Elanniah," Roghallach said with a bow. "I cannot sit by idly while the children of my king face this threat on your behalf any more than I could even if they were not present."  
"I had hoped to have your assistance, Commander Roghallach," the queen nodded to him.  
The fair haired and dark skinned elf next to the queen, Prince Ceron, offered a bow of respect for the Commander from Meir Valan. "Our troops will be honored to have your wisdom and centuries of experience with them."

"What can you tell us of the drow, daughter?" Elanniah didn't care that there had been no official ceremony to wed Seraphina and her son Kaelin, in her mind the princess already was her daughter-in-law.  
"I am troubled," the princess admitted. "Something is blocking my efforts. A shield has been placed over the elfwood; I cannot sense anything on the other side of it. If I had enough time I could break through but they would be aware of me by that point."  
"I find that disturbing myself," Creon replied with wide eyes. The Hexling had already relayed the story of the loss of her type-specific powers with the return of her psionics and the thought of the other side having the same talent was ominous.  
"I do not understand it. I only hope what I fear is not the truth." Light, Seraphina couldn't stop staring at Ceron. Except for the fact he wore his hair different it was like looking at Kaelin. The brothers were twins after all.  
"Why would they shield the forest?" Elanniah questioned. She looked up as the party of Skylanders entered with gazes roving about the room and drinking in details.  
"I do not know," Seraphina said slowly. "There is the Wolf Clan of gargoyles to take into consideration. If the drow found a psionic…" she trailed off when the group of Cores and Niall reached her.  
"I am fearful as well," the queen replied before she gave her attention to the newly arrived group.

"Queen Elanniah, it is an honor," Niall bowed deeply to her. "May I introduce to you the Core Skylanders Spyro, Hex and Cynder?"  
Hex wasted no time, the moment she had come out of her curtsy she demanded to know what the plan of action was. "We accomplish little by running our mouths in this room."  
"Mother," Seraphina bowed to her mother-in-law, "if we are through here I will lead the rest of the Skylanders into Uzern."  
"The soldiers will assemble and set out within a matter of half an hour. Be it that you have routed the drow or not we will conduct a full search of the city and forest." Creon nodded to the princess. "May the light favor you," he said in farewell.  
Elanniah held a hand up and the room turned attention to her, "When the situation has been resolved I wish to speak to you again, daughter. I want to hear from this Windy and her friends. There is still the matter of trespassing to address." Seraphina already knew this; Elanniah had repeated it solely for the benefit of the others in the Hexling's company. It also served as a warning to tread carefully in the Queen's land.  
"Yes, of course," Seraphina said with a deep curtsy.

The team had used the open space of the entrance hall to open a portal to Uzern. The others had already stepped through leaving the princess the lone Skylander in the presence of the queen and prince. Seraphina cast one last look over her shoulder to Roghallach, Ceron and Elanniah before she vanished through the swirling vortex and arrived in the elfwood. "Something is wrong," Seraphina groaned as she put her hand to her head. Why did she leave her staff at home? She should have gotten it when she had the chance and it would have helped her now to balance. The princess was surprised to find it was Hex that reached her first and helped support her.

"What is it, what has happened?" the sorceress asked. Her eyes flicked over Seraphina, physically she could see nothing but the priestess was obviously bothered by something. Tremors ran through her body and her muscles were tense.  
"There is another psionic here, one that has already tried to scour all of our minds for information. They know I am here; they met resistance and tried to break down the shield I put up." She clenched her eyes shut for a moment then nodded as she pulled away from Hex to stand on her own. Slowly she relaxed and seemed at ease once more. "I am alright. Are you?" she looked first to Hex then the others.  
"I'm fine," Spyro blinked in confusion.  
"Didn't feel a thing," Cynder agreed. Niall simply gave a curt nod and studied Seraphina carefully.  
"Then the other mind did not pass through my shield, good." Seraphina groaned suddenly at another thought, "But that means they have already learned much from my siblings and their group. We are the only element of surprise now. We will be sought after, we must move away from the site of the portal."  
"Do we split up?" Spyro asked, "Cover more ground?"  
"No, the further from me you are the harder it becomes for me to protect your mind. We are dealing with a psionic. The drow must have bent the will of a gargoyle to their own." She looked pained by that fact as well as worried.  
"Just like old times," Niall smirked as the Voodoodling moved in next to Seraphina.

"Dear sweet mother of cheese," Spyro exclaimed in surprise as his legs went ridged following a jump back several feet. "I wish they would _warn_ a dragon before just popping up like that!" Spyro's heart was pounding and his breath came in quick pants with the unexpected appearance of the spirit of the Prime High Priest.  
_You have returned, we could not have hoped for a more perfect time,_ he said into the minds of the Skylanders with a sense of urgency. _The rest of my kin have been neutralized by the necromancer. I managed to shield myself and the others you originally arrived with. Forgive me but the first group I could not help in time._  
"A necromancer _and_ a psionic? The drow came prepared. They also have already discovered Tour's secret it seems," Cynder replied. She couldn't get the feeling of dread to leave now; it sat heavily in her stomach and pulled on her heart.

"What do you know, tell us!" Hex pressed with the same sort of urgency the priest had spoken with.  
_Nothing more than I just told you_, he said apologetically with hands spread wide._ Please, follow me. I can lead you past the drow. While my kin may not be able to communicate with you I can still move messages between us_.  
"You had quite the adventure after all," Niall said quietly to Seraphina as the group followed the spirit. She hadn't told him all of the details; the story had been cut short when she first told him of Uzern.  
"When we have time I will tell you in full detail," she promised. The Hexling looked the orc over and frowned, how she wished he still had his holy magic! He would have been so much more potent against the necromancer with that edge.

It had been quiet going so far with the arrival in the city via the lifts. The group of giants and normal Skylanders had begun to wonder if the drow were still in the city with how quiet and still everything was. It wasn't until Nivaeus the Swarmling elbowed Wraith the Hot Headling and pointed out to a point they couldn't see beyond a thick growth of brambles. The others recognized the visual signal and went for cover instantly. Well, at least most of them had taken cover.  
Windy suppressed a squeal when Wraith's massive hand took her by the tail and dragged her into a nearby building. She turned a glare on him that the Hot Headling returned with a level stare and point back out to the streets. Several drow mounted on trekkers and orniteryx trotted by in a quick pace. Windy hadn't even been aware of their proximity. She looked again to Wraith with an apologetic glance, one he seemed to miss with his focus on the lone rider that had paused. "Move," the giant whispered as he turned the group deeper into the building.

The horned head of the trekker was raised high into the air and the animal's nostrils worked furiously. "If you ferret out another squirrel," the rider warned with a growl. Still he followed his mount's intuitive direction and let the animal take him where it wanted.  
With a sound similar to a chirp the trekker trotted further away from the avenue the other riders were still traveling and came deeper into the back alley and clustered buildings that had been businesses at one time. The animal bobbed his head a few times and swiveled it from side to side. The rider dismounted then and drew his sword; an animal would have made a sound by now with the trekker so close and since the beast had begun to bob and sway his rider knew he was sensing hostility rather than fear.

"Come out," the drow said in a firm voice. "I know you're there. You can't stay hidden for long from us." He jerked his head around when a clatter sounded behind him. So too did his mount have his neck arched back behind him. The trekker turned his long body around and lowered his head with a hiss at a large chunk of stone that hadn't been in the alley before.  
On the drow's right there was a window, on the left a solid wall with a closed door. The drow picked the building on the right to enter. The door was closer to him than the window and already ajar so he was able to slide into the darkened building undetected.

The drow had no worries about leaving his mount in the alley. The animal would scratch around, snuffle and make plenty of noise to keep the attention of whoever was in the building so the drow could come up behind them silently. He peered into several rooms to ensure they were empty before he found a hall that should lead to the room with the window and whoever it was that had tried to hide.  
There was a very weak light in the room with the window; it came from a closet or something similar. The drow approached it cautiously and just as his hand touched the door knob he heard something and turned around quickly.

With eyes fully adjusted to the dismal amount of light that crept through the halls from the weak shafts of sunlight in the city the drow just did manage to catch a rather large shape turn the corner. With his heart pounding the drow realized he was most likely surrounded. Unless the light from under the door had been a decoy all along. What to do? The drow wondered as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. If he opened the closet he would give himself away, whether it was empty or not the light within would become stronger and the shadow he had seen would be able to see that and know the time to strike was then.

His mind was made up for him when the trekker outside screeched suddenly then fell silent and a low growl sounded from somewhere in the room behind him. The drow turned quickly with a sweep of his sword to catch whatever it was and was thoroughly surprised when the attack came from behind instead. His sword clattered across the floor and something picked it up and dragged it across the stone floor with a horrible sound akin to nails on a chalkboard. The drow himself was pressed against the floor with his head wrenched to the side and held firmly in place by something clawed and furry. About then the door to the other room opened and reddish-orange light flooded the room. The drow was turned away from it all and couldn't see a thing. All he could do was breathe heavily and watch the dust that his breath stirred up swirl out from his face.

Anicetus nearly fell out of the store room; it had been _terribly_ cramped in there with Wraith. The giant left so little space for Anicetus to contort himself. He groaned as he turned the armored arm that had become twisted back to its proper position. The two of them had no choice, unless they wanted to give everyone away they had to do something to hide their eternal flames. "What did you catch, Mei?" he asked the Fizzling.  
Meilyr pressed harder on the drow's head and ground his knee into the dark elf's back. "A rat," he said in a voice slightly deeper than normal thanks to being in his hulking beast form. "It thought it had cornered Eloryn."  
With crystals catching the light the dragon stepped lightly into the the orange glow and dropped the sword she held in her mouth to the ground with a clatter. "A laughable attempt," she snorted in contempt.  
"Hey, guys," Windy said suddenly as her head peeked in through the window. "Nivaeus says the others have realized their buddy is missing and are doubling back."

"What has he done with the trekker?" Wraith asked as he side stepped to move closer to Windy.  
"Um," she looked over her left shoulder, "He just ducked into another building to deposit it. I think it's just unconscious. I don't think he killed it. Would he?" she turned sad eyes back to Wraith. "I mean it was just an animal. Not evil because _he_ rode it," she thrust her chin out towards the drow Meilyr was now sitting on with a grin and arms folded across his wide chest.  
"Kill him," Wraith said to Meilyr. "Don't leave him to inform the others of our numbers."  
"I'm here! They have me!" the drow tried to scream in panic. It was hard to fill his lungs with enough air to raise the volume with the Fizzling sitting on him.

"We do not kill in cold blood," Eloryn said in shock.  
"He is an enemy," Wraith growled with a finger extended to the drow. "You destroy them or they destroy you. There is no other way. We have had this discussion before."  
Nivaeus stuck his yellow head through the window suddenly with his long antenna quivering. "We have to go, they'll be here soon."  
"Leave no loose ends," Wraith snarled as he picked the drow up by a leg and pulled him out from under Meilyr. The drow flailed and couldn't seem to find his voice as he screamed in mute terror.

"Wait!" The Fizzling called and scrambled to his feet, "We can gag him and tie-" he never got to finish. Wraith had grabbed the gaping drow by the face and with intense heat had turned his head into charred bone and melted fatty tissue.  
The fire giant tossed the body into the small store room and closed the door. "We go back out into the alley and move behind the buildings," he said as he strode towards the door. It sounded like he was stomping but with the golem's stature it always sounded that way.  
"Schnasty," Windy squeaked from somewhere outside the window as her voice indicated she was heading towards the back alley.

Eloryn stared at the closed door before Anicetus guided her by a wing towards the second door and hall beyond. "I remember now why I preferred visiting the gargoyles in times of peace," the Flashwingling said softly to her brother. "I will never get the smell of burnt hair and flesh out of my nose. I think I may get sick."  
"I feel sick," the prince said sourly with green flames to match. He shook his head, "Just keep moving. No one ever said battle was glamorous."  
"That was not…" Eloryn trailed off. She didn't feel like getting into a debate over it and walked with her head down as she met up with the rest of the party outside.

Ginny-Li cleaned the blood from her Wishblade on the fallen goliath's clothing. The fool had charged her without his shield active and had run himself through. The Ninjiniling re-sheathed her twin blades and stood up tall, her etheric "tail" danced like a whirlwind over the leaf strewn forest floor. "Crevan," she called.  
"Here," the Fizzling coughed. He reverted back to his normal form and size then shook himself free of leaves and debris. Or at least tried to, sticks had become so entwined with his fur that they might need to be cut out later. "Oh I _hate_ using that form," he mumbled as he tried to tug one of the sticks out. Crevan was a better potion crafter than berserker and only used his beast form in emergencies. Somehow he had managed to hold onto his fedora and put back atop his head.  
"The drow are obviously out in numbers," the giant commented. "We've taken out four loners like this one. They're searching for us and trying to ensure no one else comes into the city."  
Crevan turned his eyes up towards the city far above his head, "What does that say about the numbers _there_?" He succeeded in tugging one twig free of tangles then moved to another.

"It says we're in for a battle. Perhaps more than we can handle," Ginny-Li admitted. She turned in a full circle. "If they are scouting on set paths and are supposed to make reports when they meet back up with their fellows who have an overlapping circuit then we are leaving a fine trail for them to follow. We head to the city, Crevan."  
"Are you sure? If they are watching the platform we could meet an ambush or be picked off easily by archers hidden in lower branches while the lift ascends."  
"I wanted to remain here and scout out the forest but I have my answers. They want to keep us from entering the city and we are going to draw in a multitude of drow if we remain here. The city will provide an opportunity to meet back with our allies."  
Crevan looked over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at the gloom. "And if they are herding us to the city?"  
"We owe our friends a warning, then." The giant ghosted past Crevan silently and had glided around a tree out of the Fizzling's view.

"Ginny-Li?" Crevan called. His ears swiveled, the forest wasn't as silent as it had been a moment ago but he couldn't be sure _what_ he was hearing until a metallic purple orb careened around a tree, hit the trunk of another and dropped onto the forest floor before it came to a stop at Crevan's feet. In a moment of elven grace that defied his usual waddling gait Crevan vaulted to the side in a cartwheel and sprung behind the cover of a flowering shrub just as the orb exploded. That had been from the Ninjiniling, she had found trouble and rather than call out to him had sent a warning the drow would pass off as a poorly executed attack. Crevan's eyes flicked through the trees, up as well as close to the ground. It could be one opponent or multiple ones. The Fizzling reached back into his pack and extracted a purple potion, one of three that he had carried since he became a Fizzling.

The Fizzling held his breath for just a moment and strained to hear anything out of the ordinary. Just like that the forest had grown still again. He narrowed his eyes and threw the potion up and out wide. It crashed to the ground and a smaller version of the beaker popped up on two stubby little legs before running towards the general direction Ginny-Li had vanished in. The Fizzling pulled out a second and threw it behind him and the shrub he hid behind to see much of the same reaction. This time he heard a yell of surprise and laughter, both too masculine for the Ninjiniling. Just before Crevan could shift his weight he heard a third voice hiss for silence from the other two. At least three opponents, those were fair odds. So what had happened to Ginny-Li? Crevan placed a massive hand to the ground and pushed himself up. He had to move, they would be hunting for him now. The Fizzling's fedora got caught in the twig and reluctantly he decided to leave it behind. Let them find it, Crevan had a plan.

"Told you the broad weren't alone," a lance wielding drow with rich green hair said as he picked his weapon back up from where it had been propped against a tree. "You sure you can hold her, Gen? She's got a lot of fight in her still." He skeptically eyed the Ninjiniling that was bound by magical bonds and hung in the air upside down. The spell paper that had been forced into her mouth kept her voice mute but didn't stop her jaw from working furiously as she obviously slung curses at the drow.  
"Keep her from thrashing about so much," the white haired warlock in question grunted. "If she spits the paper out she'll be able to call for her allies. Who knows how many more of them are in the woods." As well as his robes of stature the warlock also had armor over his shoulders in the form of metal ram skulls complete with spiraling horns. He wore a partial helm that gave him rear arching horns and still allowed his shaggy hair to hang freely at the back of his neck.  
"A Fizzling for sure," a drow swordsman said as he picked up a writhing purple potion bottle. He pulled the cork free and upended the beaker, the potion drained as did the life from the bottle before he dropped both. The Ninjiniling began to thrash again and nearly managed to bump the swordsman with her shoulder. The drow drew his sword and turned quickly on Ginny-Li with the blade to her throat. "Be still, wench," he snarled at her sour expression.

"But you stilled her magic, right? Even if she calls out she can't do a thing to us unless she gets to her swords?" this time it was a goliath sporting a shaved and tattooed head that spoke. A massive brute that was no stranger to battle judging from his numerous scars and disfigured face. He had to be the ugliest drow in existence yet his overall build was quite chiseled and toned. He had chosen to cover himself in tattoos that almost seemed to mask the scars except for when the puckered skin ran over the inked parts of his flesh.  
"Yes," the warlock said shortly. He was busy concentrating and had grown irritated by the banter around him. The incantation he had started was finally finished and he flipped his staff over to tap the earth with the figurehead that capped the whole thing, a serpent with mouth wide and fangs ready to bite. When the snake's head hit the earth a magical ripple of energy raced out from the point of impact and traveled out wide into the surrounding forest. "And now her allies are likewise neutralized. They can still participate in melee," he snapped at the lancer when he made the move to dash out. "The young are too eager. Make sure he doesn't kill himself." The warlock waved and three archers stepped out from behind a single tree trunk and padded silently after the lancer.

"I still say those masks they wear are ridiculous," the drow swordsman snorted. "I will never understand the reasoning behind a horned imp war mask."  
"As long as they are effective I couldn't care what they wear," The warlock muttered as he walked back up to the captive Ninjiniling. He pressed the snake head of his staff up to her cheek. "I have a venom reserve in the snake's fangs. Don't move too much or I might accidently puncture your skin." He made no effort to hide the way he studied the giant's figure openly. "Such a pretty thing you are, we can fix your attitude to match. Make you soft and sweet and subservient. There is no need for the armor," he smirked.  
Ginny-Li thrashed again. Her eyes widened when the enchantment that held her aloft dropped her down a few inches and jolted her. She turned her eyes on the warlock that held her and began to thrash even more.  
The drow growled, turned the snake on his staff around so the fangs were pointed away from her before he clocked her hard between the eyes. Aided with a little magic the Ninjiniling's eyes fluttered and closed when her body went slack. "Go with them," the warlock commanded the swordsman and goliath.

Crevan looked down on the drow below him. It hadn't been his first choice to scale the alabaster trunk of the elfwood tree but it had turned into a beneficial perch. Three archers wearing the standard imp masks walked stealthily behind the lone lancer. Crevan reached up carefully and with an apology to the tree sank his claws into the bark. The trunk was smooth and had no hand or foot holds, Crevan had to make do with what he had. Ever so slowly he was working around the trunk to the far side, beyond where the drow were heading. He had gotten the idea from two forest critters running up a trunk and decided in order to best scope the situation he should follow their lead.

The Fizzling made sure he had a good grip on the tree before he tugged a potion out of his pack and threw it out towards another trunk. If he did it right the beaker would ricochet off the tree and give the illusion of coming from another direction before it hit the ground. It didn't matter, even if the drow followed it back to his direction they would most likely fail to look _up_. Still, Crevan couldn't remain in the tree. He needed to find Ginny-Li and neutralize the threat the drow posed. He had to think fast when a goliath and swordsman came through next. The force could be much larger and Crevan didn't want to bite off more than he could chew.


	23. Infiltration and Ascension

**Infiltration and Ascension**

It was as if there was no other presence in the elfwood, with the spirit guiding them the group comprised mainly of Cores slipped through undetected by drow. Their fortune was about to change if the scene before them was any indication.  
_They have every lift to the city similarly guarded;_ the spirit priest informed his party when they had found one.  
"How did you get down, then?" Spyro asked. Cynder hissed at him and the dragon turned a confused look on her. "What?"  
"He simply willed himself onto the forest floor," Hex answered. "He is a spirit, physical restrictions that we have are meaningless to him." Her tone said the dragon should have known that already.

"This group has Ginny-Li!" Seraphina whispered suddenly. Even though she had taken cover with the others her mind was still free to roam about and if she happened to touch a familiar mind it was akin to seeing or hearing them with her other senses.  
"Where?" Cynder peered around the tree they had taken cover behind. She couldn't see anything other than armed drow standing with their backs to the platform and facing out in different directions.  
"Hidden from view," the Hexling replied. "The four you see here are only a small portion of the gathered drow. Behind the tree that has the three blue glowing toadstools in a line is a warlock holding my Ninjiniling friend. He sent out three archers, a lancer, a swordsman and goliath to find Ginny-Li's allies."

"That would be us," Spyro lowered his shoulders menacingly and swiveled his head around to catch movement as well as sound.  
"That would be Crevan," Seraphina corrected as she turned away. "I found him, alone. The others have separated."  
_They are within the city_, the spirit confirmed. _Allow me to draw attention to myself. Make your move when the warlock has been drawn out._  
"Be careful, Uriel," Seraphina told the spirit. The fact she knew what to call him when he had never given his name surprised those that had caught it. Uriel chuckled and nodded to her before moving away, of course she would be resourceful enough to figure out his name.

"Cripes!" one of the watching drow gasped. "There, there! One of the bloody spirits they told us was afoot!" He pointed furiously towards the visage of a robed priest drifting out of the deep gloom.  
"A single ghost and you're ready to wet yourself," another drow snorted as he turned around. He eyed the figure with disdain, "Just a holy man. Hardly anything to get bent out of shape over." He turned back around to ignore the spirit in favor of what he was supposed to be doing.  
"Yeah, I don't think he got the memo that he's supposed to be harmless if you ask me." The first drow said as he watched the spirit take a combat stance with one leg bent, the other out straight to the side and his staff held behind him at the ready.  
"Ever had the chance to try your skill against a ghost?" the third guard asked as he unsheathed his double blades, one full size and the other more like a long dagger. "Yeah, me neither. This one's asking for it and we'd be rude to not oblige."  
"Gen's gonna have something to say, Torin."

"Let him," the dual wielder said as he stepped away from the platform and took position before the spirit. "Guess this is gonna be a dance, then?" He twirled his blades in his hands in a showy fashion. "Ladies first," he laughed and gave a mocking bow. A moment later and he was stumbling backwards when his head snapped back. "He can _land_ a hit?" the drow growled over the snickering of his companions.  
The priest looked as if he hadn't moved, the only thing that gave him away was his arm sliding back behind him and pointing the decorative sunburst end of his overly tall staff downward again. Uriel's face was as emotionless as the rest of him was still. Just for show and to get the drow committed he raised his free hand and made the beckoning motion that challenged his opponent for action.

"Right," Torin said between grit teeth as he charged the spirit with blades held out from his sides. "A _real_ challenge then."  
Uriel worked the long staff fluidly and met both slashes from the drow's weapons with a block and clang of metal on etheric material. He pressed forward and the drow's dagger slid along the length of his staff and left an opening on the right side. Uriel kicked out swiftly and delivered a blow to the drow's ribs.  
"Oh! And the spirit lands the second hit!" one of the watching drow laughed. The remaining three in the area had turned away from the platform to watch the spectacle of spirit and living creature duke it out.

The drow winced and held his blades up in a defensive manner as he circled with his opponent. The spirit was quick but also seemed to be toying with him. The swordsman couldn't stand the thought and let his anger stew as he tried to think of a way to get the staff out of the spirit's hands. It blocked every attack and countered quicker than should have been possible for something so large and ungainly. He was just going to have to get past the spirit's point of advantage, then. If the drow moved in close enough the staff would become a hindrance to the priest. With a battle cry and his dagger leading with sword held at the ready the drow charged the priest.  
Uriel accepted the challenge and surged forward with his staff raised up over his head for a smashing action. It didn't work quite as planned, the drow managed to sidestep the swipe and then stomp hard on the staff when it was down before he slashed out at the priest.  
"What, no!" the drow growled when his blade simply went right through the spirit without causing damage. "Not a fair fight in the least!"

"Think we should offer him some aid?" a dark haired drow said to his companions.  
"Na," another grinned right as the priest slammed his open palm into the swordsman's forehead and snapped his head back. "I think I'm enjoying the show too much."  
"A spirit, freed? How is this possible?" a fourth voice asked suddenly. The other three drow hunched their shoulders and made faces before turning towards the voice and furious stance of the warlock. "And none of you saw fit to tell me? Fools, the lot of you!" the warlock snarled. "That is the Prime High Priest of Uzern!" he exclaimed with a furious point towards the spirit that was very obviously toying with the drow swordsman.

"I will deal with you later," the warlock promised the faulty guardsmen. Gen held his staff with both hands and repeated an incantation quickly before four dark shadows separated from him and coalesced into spell punks. The diminutive and colorful wizards were attuned to one element only and could wield them flawlessly with devastating effectiveness. Gen had chosen opposites, two fires and two waters. "Have at it," he told his summoned creatures.  
The simple-minded spell punks squealed in glee, their pointed hoods bobbed with excitement as they hovered over the ground to meet with the spirit.

"That's our cue," Spyro grinned before he charged out brazenly.  
"Ever the show off," Cynder rolled her eyes. "You think Seraphina and Niall are in position?"  
"Spyro thinks so," Hex replied as she ghosted out after the dragon. "If we don't support him it could go sour." The sorceress charged up her skull rain attack as she slowly approached the drow that had realized they weren't alone with the spirit.  
Cynder grinned and turned her eyes up towards Uzern sitting stories above her head, "Time to get adjusted to having all my skills back. Thank you," she murmured silently to the spirits that for the moment were all contained within the city. The black dragon spread her wings, sent a puff of air at the ground from her lips and seemingly levitated off the ground with a strong column of wind providing the lift. She smiled in delight before beating her wings and raced forward in an aerial charge.

"They failed, all of them!" Gen roared at the appearance of the Skylanders. He sent out a shockwave that traveled through the air to hit both dragons and toss them into an alabaster tree trunk. "Ignore the spirit!" the warlock yelled to his drow. "Let the spell punks handle him, focus on the Skylanders!" Gen scowled deeply and summoned once more, this time he called upon four life spell punks to aid and heal his forces. Gen couldn't afford to stick it out in the main battle, there were more Skylanders and he knew it. They had found evidence of a Fizzling yet the gremlin wasn't in the clearing with the others. He was going for the Ninjiniling.

Crevan landed harder than he had planned and all wrong. The wind was knocked out of him and he could only stare at the hands Seraphina and Niall had extended to help him up. All sound had faded for the moment and Crevan couldn't even feel the forest floor under his back. The Fizzling closed his eyes for a moment as his sense began to return slowly.  
"Light Crevan," he heard Seraphina say. "Please tell me you slipped and not that you jumped from that high."  
"I slipped," he groaned. "My claws came loose and I panicked." Finally he took Niall's hand and allowed the Voodoodling to help him up. "Give me a moment," Crevan inhaled deeply. "Go on, get Ginny-Li."  
"The warlock will not give us much time. You already heard Spyro lead the charge." Niall looked back first to Crevan then nodded to Seraphina to signify he was ready.  
"She is alone for the moment, now is perfect," Seraphina agreed.

Gen ignored the combat behind him; he was more concerned with the hidden Skylanders. The warlock had used a spell to cloak himself but still took the time to tuck his form away behind a shrub. The invisibility spell wasn't perfect; if someone stared hard enough they would see a faint wavering mass that would be perfectly shaped as him. The more he moved the easier it would be to detect so Gen had picked an area to just watch from. He could see the Ninjiniling, ever vigilant as her eyes roved around looking for any form of movement. Her head jerked to the right and a second Hexling as well as a Voodoodling stepped into the area. The Hexling was strange being that she was dressed as a priestess; the Voodoodling looked like a priest for that matter. Gen scowled to himself, they were behind the spirit of the High Priest then. Their original abilities may have been blocked but the Hexling's status as an undead helped her make contact and ask for assistance.

"Give me a moment," Seraphina said quietly to Ginny-Li. "You are bait, we are being watched."  
"Where is he?" Niall questioned as he moved in closer to the captive Skylander in a ruse of studying her bonds.  
"Behind us, to the left," the Hexling commented. "I have removed his enchantment; Ginny-Li is now suspended by my psionics only. Crevan is trying to move behind him." Seraphina frowned at the spell paper her friend had stuck in her mouth. "If I remove it he will know something is amiss."  
"Bear with me, Ginny-Li," Niall said with an apologetic tone. "This is going to be a little unpleasant."  
The Ninjiniling steeled herself and nodded as Niall brought a glowing thumb and index up to her face with the tips touching. He carefully moved the digits into her mouth before he separated them and a tiny magic trip wire was left behind anchored on the sides of her mouth. Niall removed his fingers and Ginny-Li squeezed her eyes shut tightly and made her whole body go ridged as she waited.

After a moment the magic of the trip wire expired and caused the two anchor points to crash into each other with a resounding pop that sounded like the retort of a tiny pistol. Ginny-Li's head snapped back and she jerked in her unseen bonds against the shock. The first thing to come out of Ginny-Li's mouth was very colorful language.  
"Ow! You green leather skinned muscle brain," she ended her tirade with. "That _smarted_. But thank you," she sighed at last and worked out the stiffness in her jaw.

Seraphina turned suddenly and with an extended hand let loose a phantom orb. It slammed into a shimmering disturbance in the air that wavered for a moment then vanished to reveal a surprised and stunned warlock.  
Crevan made his move at almost the same instant. He had drank another of his potions and lunged out at the warlock to bowl him over. The Fizzling grabbed the face down warlock by the wrist holding the staff and beat it into the ground several times to get him to loosen his grip. The warlock retaliated with an incantation that didn't need the staff focal point and Crevan was tossed like a rag doll up into the air before he landed awkwardly on his feet. "Nice try," the gremlin growled before he bellowed and charged the warlock again.

Niall spun his halberd over his head and charged out into battle himself while Seraphina hung back for a moment longer to set Ginny-Li free. In the confusion the warlock would be less likely to notice something wasn't right with the flow of things.  
"Are you alright?" Seraphina asked the giant as she helped her work stiffness out of her joints.  
"My pride and personal space were violated but physically I am fine. Where are my swords?" Ginny-Li was loath to admit it but she needed them, as a gargoyle she could hold her own without the use of weapons but her giant form had limited her combat tactics.  
"I think he had another of his lackeys take them away."  
"Great," the giant scowled. "Well we'll just have to hunt them down later after this cretin has been strung up by his _toes_!"

A rabid Fizzling came at him from one side, the brutish Voodoodling from another. The drow warlock was sorely pressed. To make matters worse it seemed like the Hexling's tampering had weakened his enchantments and set the giant free. While the ladies were too busy fussing over how their hair looked the warlock knew he was going to have to take out the two Skylanders that had him occupied so he could turn to them.  
Crevan held himself like an enormous ape, his shoulders were up higher than his head and he supported his weight on his knuckles while his massive clawed feet flexed and tore up the earth under them. The Fizzling snorted and shook his great shaggy head as he bared his razor teeth at the warlock that held the protective shield around himself. Crevan had already tried to ram it once and was met with a horrible electric shock.  
The Voodoodling too was cautiously watching the warlock. His halberd was pointed towards his foe and Niall kept adjusting his grip to avoid the shaft of the weapon from becoming slick. They were at an impasse at the moment and Niall could only hope the shield the warlock used prevented him from attacking while behind it. Being that it protected completely from damage it was safe to assume he couldn't attack them.

The warlock began to cast, the shield would have to be lowered before the incantation was finished and Niall found his opening. His heart pounded as he went over the incantation in his mind, it was one Niall knew. In what looked like an action of surrender the Voodoodling threw his halberd down and clapped his hands together. With a look of determination that turned into a disturbingly sinister grin the orc spread his hands to reveal magical energy crackling between his palms. He drew his arms back then pushed them forward quickly as if he were throwing something. The warlock's shield went down and Niall's full sized magical tripwire snapped into place at the drow's feet in the same moment.  
The last word of the incantation was shouted in pain when the trip wire collapsed and gave the warlock a horrible jolt. Still his spell was finished and a beast of darkness pulled its hulking and twisted form from the shadow of a great tree.

"Now it gets interesting," Crevan snarled and flung himself at the beast that looked like an enormous, wingless zombie dragon. The dragon opened a maw that dripped with globs of what could only be decaying matter before it roared at the leaping gremlin and tried to head butt him in midair.  
"Don't ask, don't tell," Ginny-Li yelled as she joined the fray wielding two blades made of ice.  
"Thought never crossed my mind," Niall replied as he rolled up from a lunge for his halberd.

Well, she had never thrown a punch before and boy did it hurt. Seraphina shook out her now bruised knuckles and glided backwards away from the warlock. That had been a dumb move; she hit his cheek and the metal strap that held his horned headdress in place.  
"You've got spunk for a priestess," the warlock grinned as he rubbed his jaw with his hand. "I like that. Makes you more fun to break."  
Seraphina simply shrugged, if he wanted to banter with her that was fine. She just didn't want to return it. Instead the Hexling summoned a bone wall to protect her while she charged up a skull rain. It was so incredibly hard to keep her _real_ attacks held back. Hex's style wasn't her own and now that she could fight the way she had learned if felt awkward to restrain herself.

The warlock smirked and banged hard on the bone wall with his staff, the dispel charm would take care of it easily. His smug look turned into faint surprise when the bone wall didn't disintegrate. That must mean she was a Hexling that had come into her full power and he would have to use stronger tactics against her. "One on one is always so much more fun. It lets me focus completely on you and assures me that _I_ have _your_ undivided attention," the drow said casually. "Watch carefully, you might learn a thing or two."

Spyro's horns cracked hard against the goliath's shield. The drow that had been sent originally to find Crevan had doubled back at the start of combat to try and overwhelm the Skylanders. It didn't turn out how they had hoped. All of the spell punks were gone; the life punks had been the first to go followed by the others. The archers and their blanket of arrows had actually been a blessing in disguise to the Skylanders. Their wide spray of suppressing fire hit their own people just as much as it did the three Skylanders.  
"And stay down!" the purple dragon roared at the tattooed goliath when his knees buckled and he landed in a heap. Still Spyro leapt atop his chest and reared back and let loose a breath of ice that froze the drow's head and left him frosted with crystals. Oh it felt _so good_ to have his other elements back!

Cynder had already poisoned about half of the drow. They grew sluggish and lost the will to battle as their bodies weakened and the sickness began to manifest itself through horrible seeping wounds that opened up on their skin and the uncontrollable vomiting that had them doubled over more oft than not. It was a disturbing ability to see in action but it helped thin the ranks and made the drow easier to pick off. Cynder, Spyro and Hex all decided wisely to finish them off from a distance with ranged attacks. Again sometimes the other drow themselves did it in an act of mercy killing.  
"Cynder!" Hex called as she altered her bone wall to resemble pistons punching up through the ground that raced towards her foe. "Change your tactics, if the poison spreads to us we're done for just as easily!"  
That was easy enough to do; the dragon shrugged and opened her mouth again for a horribly shrill scream that vibrated the drow it hit from head to toe. He too raised his voice in a scream as he abandoned his bow and arrow in favor of holding his ears tightly against his head.

Cynder landed in a flurry of wind that she turned into a spin to build up a thick swirling tower of air set loose on a few drow clustered together for safety, more than one of them sick with poison. Spyro backed up her attack with a breath of fire that turned the whole thing into a swirling vortex of flames and death.  
Not to be forgotten was Uriel, the spirit of the Prime High Priest of Uzern. He had long ago dropped the dual wielding drow and worked more now to keep enemies from surprising the Skylanders from behind. He flitted about the battle field like the ghost he was to foul up attacks long enough for the Skylander that had been in harm's way to deal with the drow threat.

In the end there stood only the young lancer, the drow was terrified as the snarling dragons approached him slowly with their heads down, teeth bared and wings out wide. To the other side of him came the emotionless spirit of the priest and the equally stone-faced Hex. "I give, I give!" he howled in terror and threw his weapon down. "Please, just let me go!"  
Cynder's snarl only deepened when the young drow dropped to his knees, threw his arms over his head and screamed cries of mercy through his sobs. "Finish him," she snapped as she approached while the others hung back.  
"Not like this," Hex said softly. "The darkness has not yet claimed him."  
Cynder shook her head, her bluster faded a little but she still desired to finish the drow because of what he stood for and what he was a part of.  
"Cynder, no," Spyro called to her and even brought his head around under her neck to gently hold her back. "Hex is right. He doesn't have that smell to him the others had. He is young, confused. There is hope still."

"_All_ drow are evil!" Cynder hissed. "If you let this one live he tells stories that make the others more bold!"  
_No one is born evil, tender heart_, Uriel said at last. He reached out with a gentle hand that he rest on Cynder's snout. The anger drained from the dragon's eyes as she looked into the soulful ones of the spirit. _She_ wasn't evil. She had been taught it, corrupted and breathed it as if it were fact. Until Spyro opened her eyes to the truth. Spyro. Cynder turned to look at the purple dragon, the compassion on his face was so overwhelming Cynder could feel the warmth emanating from him. Light, she loved that dragon. They were right, she couldn't smell the taint on the drow which meant he was still simply misguided and not a full believer in what he did.

Cynder closed her eyes and lowered her head, "What do we do with him?"  
_I will watch him and await the army from Haven_, Uriel offered. _If I set foot in the city again I may not be able to escape the necromancer's clutches or protect the ones that came before you. You must stick with Seraphina upon entry or you could face the same fate as my kin._  
"I refuse to become a puppet or sit by while others are treated as such," Hex said sourly. "If I must use another as a protector to stop a terrible threat then so be it."  
"Then first maybe we need to play protector, it sounds as if they have their hands full," Spyro said with his head held high in the direction of the remainder of their party.

With fur matted and thick with decaying material that smelled worse than it looked, Crevan hit the ground one last time. He heaved a great sigh and pulled himself up sluggishly. He was exhausted, the continual use of potions to maintain beast form was taking its toll on the gremlin and not even the potions he had to restore stamina seemed to help. The gremlin limped away from the main fray and leaned heavily against an alabaster trunk. He wrinkled his nose in disgust at the way he smelled and tried to slough off as much of the filth as possible.  
The Fizzling looked over his shoulder to Niall and Ginny-Li, there wasn't much to attack on the undead dragon any more other than bone. However it did seem that the more flesh that fell to the dirt the slower the reanimated corpse moved. If they couldn't dismantle the skeleton however it would continue to try and stomp, bite and tail swipe them. As much as Crevan wanted to see the undead dragon fall, he couldn't shake the feeling that everyone had simply left Seraphina on her own.

It had been a surprising turn of events that left the warlock without a staff. The priestess now held it but didn't seem to take full advantage of it. Not that Gen was complaining, so long as she didn't increase her attack power with it he could deal with her wielding it like a common pole weapon. She moved like a dancer and even though she was a threat Gen found himself admiring the beauty of her lines and the determination on her features. That was until she cracked him upside the head with the staff.

"You are hardly trying anymore," Seraphina said in irritation. What was his game was he waiting for her to tire? He had done nothing but defend since she had taken his staff. He didn't need it to cast, he had to be up to something. She was too worried about giving him the opening he sought to check his thoughts. The princess held the staff behind her back in a ready position with one hand extended in front. She watched the drow carefully and waited for a moment. He saw his opening and lunged at her only to find a phantom orb in his face followed by a leg sweep of the staff that put him on his back hard.

Seraphina flipped the staff around and changed her grip to press the serpent head tightly against his throat. She held eye contact with him for a long while and didn't move. He probably took her lack of action as a slip in judgment or a change in heart. Far from it, Seraphina had seen Crevan round the trees and stoop to mix a few potions together. He tossed a few into the air that Seraphina now held in a lazy spin out of the drow's point of view. A moment later and she pulled the staff away from his throat before she hovered backwards. "Get up," she commanded.  
The drow lay there a bit longer and studied the Hexling. She was an intriguing character. Any other Skylander would have finished him off by now. He made the move to stand and was surprised when in the blink of an eye the snake head of the staff was under his chin with the fangs against his skin. Now he was sweating, the poison the fangs would release when they punctured something was a muscle relaxant and hallucinogenic compound that would render the unfortunate recipient both paralyzed and mentally incapacitated.

"Get up," the Hexling commanded firmly. "Slowly. No funny business. I want answers."  
"Ask and maybe you shall get them." Gen had his hands out and up in a sign of surrender while he strained his eyes to watch the staff she held so precariously close to his tender throat.  
"For what reason are you in Uzern, why do you disturb the dead and our holy ground?"  
So she was a Skylander from the region, which would explain how she had found them. "Uzern is a city hidden away from the rest of the region, a taboo to enter. Why not utilize it as our base of operations?" Gen grinned. "Your continent holds ancient secrets that you would rather keep to yourselves. We've found it though," he said in excitement with eyes that were wide in smug superiority. "Asmodeus has himself a gargoyle pet, a _psionic_ mind to suppress the Skylanders!" the drow cackled when Seraphina stepped back in surprise. She already knew it but had hoped with all her heart she was wrong. Gen used the moment of surprise to cast a repulsion spell that flung the Hexling back through a bush that cracked and snapped with the impact. A moment later and he howled in pain when the potions Seraphina had held in their path finally hit him.

Acid that burned coated the drow's back and horned headdress. The metal was eaten away and turned into corroded scrap as his clothing first tried to fuse with his skin then the two were burned away in circular holes. Crevan, in normal form, came bounding up and shoved the drow to the side in favor of pulling Seraphina from the bush. The thick central trunk had painfully impaled her in the side and turned her beautiful white priestess robes crimson with the necromantic magic that granted her life in her current form.  
"Watch the drow," Seraphina hissed as she clamped a hand on her wound. "Finish him first then come back for me. Go!" she said through a clenched jaw when the Fizzling gave her a skeptical look. Still as he turned away he dropped a potion into her lap, it would at least keep her from being sent away to Earth to heal. The princess may not have said it but whatever the Fizzling had been doing before he came to her aid made him smell like death. She vowed to conjure him a bath as soon as the warlock was neutralized. With a wince and tremble Seraphina popped the cork on the beaker and drank the brew.

The warlock was on his feet again and desperate to get away from the snarling ball of fur that was once again barreling towards him. Gen slammed his fists into the ground, the action was painful but he had enough force in them to send a tremor through the earth that made the charging gremlin lose his footing and stumble. Crevan landed on his side and scrambled up quickly to resume the charge and even found the time to throw another beaker. This one exploded when it hit the ground and showered the drow's front with debris and bits of broken glass. Crevan drew himself in low to the ground before he sprang up suddenly in a flying lunge toward the reeling drow.  
"There are too many of us, you will never manage to be rid of us all!" Gen said through gnashing teeth when the Fizzling bowled him over and the two fell apart to roll through leaves and twigs.

"We can manage," Crevan called as he rolled up to his feet. The drow hadn't made a move himself to rise and was belly down with his head to the side when the Fizzling reached him. The warlock laughed a strained and forced sound but a laugh nonetheless.  
"We have a gargoyle psionic, Skylander. He can bring us others and you will finally _fall_. No magic can protect you from a psionic's compulsion!"  
"We do not need magic," Seraphina said as she too loomed over the drow. She looked up to Crevan and the Fizzling moved to the side. As soon as the area was clear the warlock found himself wrenched up by his feet and was left dangling upside down without any visible force holding him. The Hexling accepted another healing potion from Crevan and drank it slowly all while keeping her eyes on the drow.

"So I see, you have your own gargoyles. We will pit them against one another and see who has the stronger pet! Delightful!"  
Seraphina smirked and formed a phantom orb that she causally tossed between her hands. She held it for a good long while and followed the drow's head as he kept it within his sight. Finally Seraphina got the reaction she wanted and the warlock took a sharp intake of breath followed by a wide-eyed stare at her. He realized he couldn't feel her holding quicksilver.  
"_You_ are the psionic! No, not possible! All Skylanders were cursed, there's no way you can get around the curses! They were layered so tightly and wound together! It can't be, everyone would have known of a psionic Skylander!"

"Wound together," Crevan exclaimed as he grabbed the warlock by the front of his robes and looked down on the warlock's upside down face. "If we break one the others will follow, is this true?"  
The surprise faded from the warlock's features before he clammed up and became stone still.  
"It does not matter if he is willing to speak or not, Crevan. If it is true we will find out eventually."  
The Fizzling released the warlock by shoving him away. "Yes, I suppose we will."  
Seraphina cocked her head to the side then raised her elbow before she smashed the drow in the face. "Leave him with Uriel for now. When the army arrives they will decide what to do with him."  
"Who?" Crevan questioned.  
"The spirit of the High Priest," Seraphina grinned. "He met us and is aiding us." Seraphina ghosted off with the warlock drifting along limply behind her.

The Fizzling stretched and tried to work a bit of stiffness out of his back as he followed the Hexling. "Was it wise to reveal your psionic abilities to him?"  
"He has already _forgotten_," Seraphina replied in a way that let Crevan know what she meant. Her nose wrinkled before she formed a ball of ice in her hand then gave it to the gremlin. "Hold that above your head, I am going to melt it and wash that rancid stench off you."  
"Sorry," Crevan said sheepishly as he followed her direction. "The undead dragon was a little too touchy-feely."

Two trip wires strategically placed halfway down the skeletal dragon's neck proved to be the best and most effective attack. When the two spells collapsed on each other they popped out several vertebrae from the dragon's neck and the head hit the ground hard just before the rest of the skeleton crumbled away into separate bones.  
"Aw, we missed the party?" Spyro exclaimed as he landed next to a panting Niall. "Oh, Miss," said to Ginny-Li, "We found your blades."  
"Thank the light!" Ginny-Li sighed as she dropped her rapidly melting ice blades; they looked more like daggers now. She took the one Spyro held then Cynder's. "Never thought I would be so happy to see swords," she muttered and sheathed the blades.  
"So, that's it? You had one guy to occupy you?" Spyro asked as he looked at the pile of bones.  
Niall and Ginny-Li exchanged a look and grunt. "It was enough."

"You saw your fair share of action I see," Hex commented when Crevan complete with sticks in his fur and a purple fedora he dusted off walked into the area with a red stained and torn robe wearing Seraphina. "The warlock?" Her question was answered a moment later when he drifted out upside down behind the princess.  
"Strung up by his toes, nice touch," Cynder smirked.  
Seraphina shoved the unconscious drow and turned to her companions, "We drop him off with Uriel and we head into the city. They have a gargoyle psionic, I was afraid the chances of it being someone else with the ability were too great. They know of the clans, we cannot afford to fail."

The lift was silent, no drow lay in waiting along the lower branches of the trees and no magical barriers or wards were crossed. It was as if the drow were confident they could keep trespassers out of the city or they _wanted_ them to stumble into it.  
"What can we expect ahead, Sera?" Ginny-Li asked. She already had her weapons drawn and held them casually at her side.  
"Mounted patrols through the city and some small camps in larger buildings. The drow are focused in the old palace district. I cannot find any minds that are not drow; Uriel must be using ancient magic I am unfamiliar with to mask the presence of my siblings and the party they arrived with. I cannot seem to find Windy's missing companions either but Uriel already stated he could not protect them."  
"So that means we may end up fighting people who are in truth allies but ensorcelled?" Hex ventured forth a guess.  
"I am afraid so," Seraphina replied with her head down. "Give me a moment," the Hexling said as the lowest level of the city began to approach them.

The lift that arrived in the docks of Uzern was empty, not a single person could be seen on the surface. The southeast docks were silent, not even the birds sang or small animals played in the heavy boughs of the trees. If one looked hard enough they might notice the barest hint of a distortion in the air as a large dome seemingly glided across the ground. Leaves and small debris suddenly blinked out of existence in the front of it before rolling out the back again in the position they had always been in. Ever so slowly the dome drifted towards one of the vacant warehouses.

"You stepped on my foot again," Cynder muttered to Spyro.  
"Sorry," the dragon whispered. "The dome is barely large enough for us and I _know_ more than once a part of my wing has slipped out."  
"Be more amusing if it was your head. The drow would think you just another spirit," Crevan grinned and adjusted his hat.  
"Yeah, no. I think that would blow our cover," the dragon chuckled. He never once turned his gaze away from the rippling water-like surface in front of him that distorted everything beyond it. That was the indication of the area of effect. If any part of a person on the inside passed through that watery wall then it too would become distorted to their eyes and clearly noticeable to anyone on the other side.  
"It is relatively safe here," Seraphina said as she released her hold on the dome that hid them. The interior of the warehouse became clear again and collectively the group moved out a pace or more from each other to feel less cramped.

"Alright, Priestess," Hex said with arms folded over her chest. "You said the drow are concentrated in the palace district. How do we get there from here?"  
"The main avenues will be quicker and more heavily protected. We are facing an army here, if we want to stand a chance at getting to the heart of the matter we are going to need to move in stealth."  
Spyro rolled his eyes; he always did prefer the more direct route. "Could we go in groups? One sneaks around while the other draws attention?"  
"There's already one other group in the city," Ginny-Li reminded the dragon. "If they have the same idea we will give ourselves away and they will be hunting specifically for the groups meant to pass undetected. You would be overwhelmed for sure if the city is full of drow anyway."

Seraphina nodded and moved towards a vine draped window in the warehouse to look out. "Not to mention if you wander far from me I cannot guarantee your protection from the other psionic mind."  
"I like being able to think and act on my own will. I will stay with you," Niall said in a most distracted manner as he looked around the room.  
"So let's discuss tactics then," Spyro huffed as he sat down. "I want to get in before the army arrives."


	24. Street Rats

**Street Rats**

Of course it was brambles Windy and Eloryn were moving through. The Whirlwindling felt every scratch keenly; the tougher skinned Flashwingling hardly noticed a thing. The two dragons crept forward silently with bellies low to the ground and wings tucked in tightly against their sides. The only reason they were doing it was to see what waited on the other side before Anicetus hacked through the twisted growth. No matter what they were going to leave evidence of their passing and the drow would realize something was amiss. Maybe, hopefully, they would think it linked to the other Skylanders Windy knew. The other Skylanders that they were trying to find. Windy was incredibly worried about not finding any trace of them so far.

"Are we almost out?" Windy whined. She was sore and knew the little cuts she was getting were going to end up stinging a lot more when she found herself in combat.  
"Shh!" Eloryn hissed at her. Didn't the other dragon understand the situation? After meeting so many mounted patrols Eloryn was ready to just ghost by them without engaging. If Windy alerted someone to their presence they would be helpless in the brambles. "Look behind you," the pale dragon commanded.  
Windy did so and was disheartened to see the end of her tail was just barely past the wall of brambles and out with the rest of her party. The bramble wall wasn't that thick but being stuck in it made it feel that way. "Why did I have to come?" the Whirlwindling groaned. "My feathers are ruined now!"

"You offered," Eloryn grunted. She pushed forward again and her head emerged from the far side. The scene that awaited the Flashwingling didn't look good at all. "Well, the city is preserved and there are no more brambles but vines more than make up for it. I think we have to pick a different path. We really need to find a means to get up onto the next tier." When she pulled her head back the brambles snagged the gold chain on the left side of her face and pulled the Flashwingling's head that way. She growled and worked a paw up to loosen the chain before she started to back up again.  
"Seriously, we're going _backwards_ now?" Windy's legs gave out and she just lay down on the branch below her. "I give up."  
"Well at least the drow will not bother you in here. They just might place bets on how long it takes you to expire from thirst or hunger."  
With a greatly exaggerated sigh Windy got up and began to work her way backwards again.

"What did you find?" Anicetus asked as he helped his sister get clear of the thorny growth.  
"The path is overgrown with vines and lichen, moving forward will be slow going. We should double back." Eloryn shook her head and flicked out broken bits of wood from her wing and hide just as Windy emerged looking worse for wear.  
"Don't let me volunteer myself for anything _ever again_," the hybrid huffed as she began to pull thorns out of where they had gotten lodged. "I look like a pin cushion." She was surprised when the giant Hot Headling stooped to help her and was grateful for the assistance when it came to thorns she couldn't reach. Meilyr followed it up with a healing potion that at least closed all of Windy's wounds; it did nothing to fix the mess her fur had gotten into or the broken feathers. Windy tried to hastily groom herself, if she needed her wings for flight it wasn't going to happen in their present state.

Meilyr closed up the pack he always carried and slung it into place on his back once more before he turned around to look at where they had come from. "We have to cross the plaza again, that means. There is nothing this way but the brambles and paths that have been broken."  
"Maybe we're looking at this the wrong way," Nivaeus mused. The giant bee had one arm folded across his chest and the other elbow propped on it and held up so his index finger could tap his chin. "Look up at the brambles," he said when no else seemed to understand.  
"Don't make me climb that," Windy squeaked. It was a vertical wall of thorns and pain in her mind but it did seem to stretch up to the next tier of the city.  
"_You_ can fly up it. _We_ have to climb it," Anicetus motioned to himself and practically everyone else.

Wraith frowned and stepped back to look at the wall from top to bottom. "We will be exposed. The patrol that we avoided in the plaza will see us for sure. There has to be a better way."  
"You and I can keep them busy while the others climb," Nivaeus offered. "We'll catch up later."  
"Then I'm going with you, to heal," Windy said with a determined look.  
"I thought you said not to let you volunteer for anything ever again," Meilyr pointed out with a raised finger.  
"I can make an exception this time," she shook her head. "If it gets us past this wonk wall of brambles then I can manage. I want to find Sprint and the others."  
"Come with us, then," Wraith commanded as he turned around to walk off.

For Meilyr the bramble wall was easy. He moved with a strange sort of grace up it and had no problem with the thorns. It was a dance the way he seemed to swing up the side from hand hold to hand hold. Anicetus and Eloryn on the other hand saw difficulties.  
"Too many thorns to break off," Eloryn growled as her right front paw slipped yet again. She steadied herself with her back feet and hooked one wing for extra support before she arched her neck to look at her brother.  
Anicetus was in much the same boat although the brambles were dry enough for a threat of fire. He constantly had to stamp out embers to keep them from giving their position away. Enough smoke was rising though that someone somewhere in the city was sure to see them. "Wraith will not have anything to climb at this rate," the prince muttered to himself.

Nivaeus's insect wings hummed softly as he hovered over the branches and platforms that made up the city. He could hear the mounted patrol ahead and the giant was fast closing the distance. His primary mission was to scout, they couldn't chance having the force split up on them. They had to take all of the riders out at once; none could be allowed to go for backup.  
The gargoyle turned giant began to slow before he eventually landed and pressed himself up against the wall of a building. The smell of the animals they rode was strong; the group had stopped for one reason or another. Quietly Nivaeus crept alongside the building until he reached an area he could peer out undetected from. The right angle left a very small hole through two windows and the ancient shutters that were only held in place by vines around them. Through that small opening Nivaeus saw all he needed. The mounts were tied up and drow were drinking or eating. They had taken a break in their patrols. That meant one of two things: they were lazy or they knew Skylanders were afoot and were leading the intruders on.

Nivaeus moved back carefully the way he had come, he found a way to silence his footsteps but Wraith was a very heavy golem made of volcanic rock and veins of red hot magma. When the golem approached there would be no sneaking about but Nivaeus had an idea to further disrupt and surprise the drow that occupied the area. Once at a safe distance the giant again spread his gossamer wings and zipped off back to meet Windy and Wraith. The large golem was standing in his usual pose with arms crossed over his chest and the smaller hybrid was pacing back and forth in front of him.  
"Well?" Windy asked without stopping her pace.  
"They have broken for a meal and are stationary. I have an idea, Wraith. If you don't mind drawing attention to yourself."  
"I have no stealth anymore," he glowered. "Let's hear it."

"I bet this place is still you know, livable," a red bandana wearing drow said to his companions as he sat down in the group.  
"Clear out some of the extra growth and yeah, I see what you mean. Too much work though," Another drow wearing a leather helm grinned around the fruit he was eating. "I'd rather take over a living city. Maybe 'relieve' a noble of the burdens having a large manor brings," he laughed.  
"Well if all goes right," a third drow in full armor began, "then you should have your pick in homes and women." He grinned lewdly and was joined in laughter by the rest of the drow with raised mugs or whatever it was they held currently.

The lone female and only caster of the group raised her head suddenly. She narrowed her eyes and moved a stray lock of vibrant pink hair behind an ear riddled with earrings. "Did anyone else hear that?" the grey skinned witch questioned. She rose to her feet and turned back to the way they had come from. A deep yet quiet boom sounded and a moment later there was another. "That," she pointed. "Did you hear it?"  
The orniteryx the group rode on had begun to scratch at the ground and chatter away in eager anticipation of something. More than one rider rose to take their mount by the reins in an effort to calm the birds. As war birds it wasn't fear that had them riled up but the promise of a fight.  
"What do you think it is Teneze," the red bandana drow asked as he moved up next to her.  
Teneze narrowed her eyes and strained her ears, "Company," she said a moment later in surprise. "A giant I believe." Camp broke instantly without a word and the drow were mounted in the span of a moment.

"Take them out swiftly," Teneze commanded from the back of a jet black orniteryx with wings tipped in green. The drow held the reins at the ready, her mount's muscles tensed and relaxed in rapid succession as the bird cocked his head to better hear the visitor. Teneze rubbed the feathers on her mount's neck and murmured softly to calm him. The deep and steady pounding of giant footfalls ceased suddenly and Teneze gave a silent hand signal for two of her riders to move forward and investigate. Teneze made another set of signals that sent two riders in opposite directions to attempt a flanking maneuver. The intruder wouldn't make it past them, the witch was certain.

One of the orniteryx behind the witch chirped in surprise and danced to the side when a vine snaked through the middle of the mounted group and bright red fruits began to expand before the drow's eyes.  
"What in the name of darkness is _that_?" another drow whispered harshly as he prodded the large fruit with the head of his spear.  
"Don't do that!" Teneze snapped as she looked over her shoulder. "Don't move a muscle," she breathed out when the red fruit began to pulsate. The other drow kept his spear point against it and looked up to his commanding officer for an answer. "Ambush," she hissed. "They surrounded us first."

Right on cue the red fruits began to burst with loud crackles and projectiles in the form of hardened little seeds were sprayed across drow and orniteryx alike. War birds cried out in pain as did their riders and the formation broke instantly with the intrusion of a multitude of other vines. As if the exploding vines weren't enough the giant had charged them from the other side. He wasn't alone; alongside the Hot Headling were a Swarmling and a much smaller but no less dangerous Whirlwindling.  
"Find the one with druidic magic!" Teneze snarled as she brought her bird under control. She spurred her mount on to meet head on the charge of the visible Skylanders.

Wraith held a hand out before him and the circular part of his palm opened with a torrent of fire. The charging witch kept coming, she had employed the use of a shield that diverted Wraith's fire harmlessly out to the side.  
"Keep her occupied," Nivaeus said as he flew up higher.  
"I had planned on it," the giant grunted before he pumped his other hand forward to spill out a glob of enchanted oil that rolled forward right past the drow's shield. Her bird lost his footing and stumbled but kept coming and it was only at the last moment did the rider veer off her path to avoid the inferno Wraith had started when he touched flames to the oil.  
Windy set loose several tempest clouds, the fluffy grey masses crackled with electricity and shot bolts of lightning out when the orniteryx and rider came too close. Stuck between lightning and fire the witch had no choice but to cast. With the flick of her wrist a multitude of circular bladed objects soared through the air with a whistle at the Skylanders.

With a tremendous beat of Windy's wings and a little assistance from Wraith's fire the blades were knocked off course or altogether destroyed. Behind the cover of Wraith's fire Windy set loose another tempest cloud before she rainbow bombed it with light from her horn, the resulting ricochet split the suddenly condensed ball of white energy in two directions. One landed on the intended target and the orniteryx let out a shrill cry of pain.  
"Two points!" the Whirlwindling called out happily before a downward beat of her wings propelled her up into the air to get beyond Wraith's suppressing fire. She met Nivaeus there and when he released the barbed blades that were spring loaded into his gauntlets so too did she shine rainbow light from her horn that merged again into white light that exploded on contact with any object it touched. The witch cried out as she was bombarded with fire, barbs and prismatic bursts of searing light.

The charge from another drow turned Wraith's attention from the witch to the orange and yellow orniteryx that rushed him with head low and jagged beak open in a scream. The drow sitting astride the bird had a spear he was weighting to throw. Wraith allowed him to throw it like the fool the drow was and simply leaned to the side to avoid it. Now the bird was the only real threat he faced and the retractable talons on the inside of his feet would only get so far on Wraith's red hot and armored hide. All it took was a miscalculation on the drow's part and Wraith caught the orniteryx in the neck and with the bird's momentum Wraith was able to get his second hand under the animal's belly before he effortlessly picked the thrashing war bird up and tossed him and rider into a building. The rider was thrown from his mount and trampled to death in return when the bird scrambled to get back up. The stubborn bird still charged Wraith even without a rider to command it.  
"Guess no one ever taught you when it was wiser to walk away," the giant said before he coated the bird in oil then clenched his shoulders to force liquid magma out of the spherical chambers that sat between his neck and arms. It rained down in a wide swath around him and set the oil covered feathers on fire in a heartbeat.

The Swarmling had the witch occupied well enough and allowed Windy to engage the second rider that had tried to circle around behind the group. This one carried a sword so the hybrid couldn't get too close. She did play with the drow by swooping in low and forcing him to swing his blade at her. Each time she either hit him with a blast of exploding light or dropped a tempest cloud on him that hungrily struck out with multiple lightning bolts at his sword.  
"Idiot," Windy giggled as she soared back up high. The drow were surprisingly easy. An arrow sailed past Windy's nose and startled the hybrid, of course she had to say something and jinx herself. Just before she went into a dive the Whirlwindling saw a group of maybe five archers racing towards the edge of the tier they were on. Her heart sank; they could shoot down on her and her allies and pick them off easily. She had been careless in flying, especially in a city that expanded up more than out. She had to finish off the drow she was toying with first then she could take out the archers.

At last Camo revealed himself and charged out into the fray. His jaws opened for superheated blasts of light that blinded opponents if hit head on just as well as wounded them. The dragon tossed his head when an orniteryx snapped at him and caught the bird in the eye with a horn. The wound forced the bird to stumble away and Camo followed it with tiny solar flare that further irritated the already ruined eye. The drow sitting astride the bird couldn't get him back under control and leapt off to face the dragon himself.  
"Think fast!" Camo yelled as he spawned watermelons from thin air and tossed them all at the drow. The dark elf actually dropped his blade to try and catch one only to get hit in the face with an overly ripe melon that exploded in the way only Camo could manage. The green leafy dragon cackled as he leapt atop the dazed drow and head butt him in the face. The dark elf lay sprawled on the city streets with a broken nose and multiple puncture wounds from Camo's horns. An arrow that barely missed a paw extended in his run made Camo jerk back and whip around quickly in time to see a line of drow standing on the platform above them with clear shots on the rest of the Skylanders. Camo scowled and tilted his head back and up to fire another of his solar pulses.

Easily the drow side-stepped the incoming attack. There was nothing else to keep his attention so he had plenty of warning that the forest dragon was focused on him. He smirked and drew another arrow before he loosed it and caught Camo in the tail. The Skylander howled and doubled back to pull it free with his teeth and allowed the archer another chance at a shot.  
"Not on my watch," a voice growled from behind.  
Before the drow knew what hit him he had been shoved off the ledge and fell with a scream onto the lower level of the city. He moved after impact but wouldn't be helpful in the least after the wounds his fall caused.

Meilyr turned and swat the bow out of another archer's hands before he shoved him off the ledge as well. Two down, three to go. The Fizzling yelled out in pain when an arrow caught him in the shoulder and another in the thigh. He shoved the one in his arm clear through his flesh then snapped the shaft before he threw himself at the nearest archer.  
The drow squealed in terror when the large ball of fur knocked him down and ripped at his mask and clothing with terrible claws. The imp mask was torn forcefully from his head and a balled up fist slammed into his face next. Dazed the drow didn't fight back as the Fizzling hopped off him, picked him up by a leg and swung him into the fourth archer. Both tumbled off the ledge in a jumble of limbs.

The fifth archer turned to flee but found a snarling Flashwingling blocking his path. He pivoted on his foot to try and run between the two Skylanders but never made it. Eloryn launched herself at the drow and hit him like a ton of bricks. His head made a sickening crack as it bounced off the street in his landing and the dragon moved off him in one swift motion. Quickly she turned to use her tail as a piercing object and drove the crystal tip into his shoulder. The drow failed to react and Eloryn pulled her tail free with a grunt.  
"This way," Meilyr waved. "We can do what the drow attempted to do and pick them off from up here."  
Eloryn kicked the drow one last time before she trot up to Meilyr's side. Anicetus finally arrived after a long struggle with the brambles and made one last check to ensure the drow was down for the count before he joined his sister and friend.

With a swift uppercut Nivaeus took the last of the mounted drow off the back of his orniteryx. The stubborn drow refused to let go of the reins and wrenched his poor bird's head around when he fell hard behind the animal. The orniteryx took the leather reins in his beak and tried in vain to bite through them.  
Nivaeus aimed carefully and released a spring loaded barb right into the drow's throat. The elf gurgled, grasped at it and turned terrified eyes on the giant before he began to weaken and fell back with death throes. The giant's head snapped to the side when a potion flask exploded behind him suddenly. That damned witch just wouldn't give up. Nivaeus had broken one of her legs and torn an arm clean off but still she tried to cast spells from a pool of her own blood. The potion hadn't been hers though, Nivaeus looked up to find Meilyr, Eloryn and Anicetus perched above them and providing cover for the Skylanders against the quickly diminishing drow force.  
"I've toyed with you long enough," Nivaeus scowled at the witch before he turned around and forcefully brought his foot down on her neck. Her eyes bugged out and she fell still at last with the crushing force.

Camo padded quietly through the scattered drow. Orniteryx war birds milled about around him, some wounded and others untouched. They stood by their dead and dying riders and hissed or gnashed their beaks at the dragon if he came too close to them. A few of the birds themselves had perished in the battle and Camo felt bad for them. They were innocent, loyal to their caretakers even if their caretakers had embraced the darkness and turned away from the light. There was hope still for the living orniteryx, they could be rehabilitated and given to the eirian where they would be treated right.  
"Why did you return to this place, Windy?" Camo asked the Skylander he shared a Portal Master with. "Why did you bring the others with you?" An unusual hard set was on the plant hybrid's face as he addressed Windy.  
"I wanted," Windy said as she shrank away from the hard look on her friend's face, "I wanted to show them the city and the spirits. _Just_ the city and the spirits. Nothing more!" Her ears quivered, Camo was usually jovial and this hard look to him was unsettling.

Camo waited for Wraith and Nivaeus to approach before he continued, "Krystal received several distress calls from everyone she sent through that portal with you. Do you know what she discovered? That she couldn't open a portal for them, she couldn't call them away. She couldn't even remove them from Skylands or pick up their figures! Black tendrils of energy were wrapped around everyone but you. I _saw_ them entwined around the others like writhing black snakes, whatever is in this place is strong enough to affect their figures on Earth. Something has trapped everyone in Skylands and Krystal can't contact them anymore!"

Windy's ears drooped and her legs gave out after trembling terribly. She sat there shell shocked and stared at Camo. "They're lost?" she whispered.  
"Is this anything you've seen before?" Wraith asked the Core.  
Camo shook his head and turned to the Hot Headling, "No. I've never seen it before. I brought word to Eon's assistant Hugo and he has never seen it before. He couldn't find it in any tome in the Great Library. When Eon is strong enough to return we will have to ask him."  
After a few attempts the Whirlwindling found her voice, "Did Krystal send you?" Windy asked quietly with her eyes downcast.  
"She did," Camo replied and shift his feet. The green hybrid looked up to Wraith and Nivaeus, "I had no choice. I had to alert the other Cores. I am not the only one here but unlike me they have ventured to Haven first to speak with the queen and travel with the army."

"The Reves will be furious," Nivaeus sighed with a hand over his face. Windy shrank in on herself in regret.  
"It couldn't be helped, I am sorry," Camo apologized. "Whatever is holding Krystal's other Skylanders here couldn't be kept a secret. We have to figure out what it is and put an end to it, keep it from happening ever again."  
"Come," Wraith prompted with his eyes up on the ledge two of the three Reves stood on. "We shouldn't keep them waiting. They need to hear this."

"Windy," Camo spoke to her, "No matter what happens know that your act of disrespect may have very well stopped this situation from growing larger. You may have saved Haven, keep that in mind no matter what else you are told."  
"Yes, Camo," Windy repeated almost mechanically to him. Light, she had broken the trust Seraphina had placed in her and stumbled upon something monstrous in the process. She didn't know if she should be feeling shame for the first point or apprehension for the second. "We can save the others still right?" she looked up to Camo and the giants. No one had an answer for her and Windy felt sick at their expressions of doubt.

The side streets were hard to navigate. More oft than not they were overgrown or the paved platforms that spanned thick boughs had fallen away. That made Spyro's group travel through buildings at times and on the main avenue more than once. The dragon wasn't bored at least. They had picked off single drow guardsmen and groups of mounted patrols as they moved. Bodies were tucked away in buildings to erase signs of their passing. The hard part was getting up to the higher tiers.

"This lift is too damaged to work," Niall said as he tossed and caught a broken energy crystal. The Voodoodling studied it for a moment before he sat it back down where he found it. "We will have to use one of the sloping ramps."  
"They will be heavily guarded," Seraphina sighed. She looked up above her head to the climbing tiers spaced out to allow shafts of light to reach the lowest level.  
"Do you even know where we're going?" Cynder asked skeptically.  
"I know enough," the princess admitted. "The palace sits on the outer edge of the city. All of the large structures do. The city is laid out in a giant circle with each tier spaced back further than the one below it. The architects did not wish to block the sun from this lowest level. The city is a giant upside down cone."  
"So in other words if we climb up and keep going in a circle we'll find the palace?" Spyro asked. "It sounds like a waste of time."  
"If we have a safe, direct route it would not be. I am sorry," Seraphina replied. She sounded both frustrated and as if she was letting the others down by not having the means to get them through the city quickly.

"The silence and complete lack of the spirits unnerves me," Hex said when the group began to move again.  
"They are here, I see them flit by every once in a while." Seraphina stared into the black hole of a door and shook her head, "If there is a necromancer afoot he can use them to in effect spy on us. Likewise, the psionic can as well. They are purposely staying hidden so a chance encounter will not endanger us."  
"Are we sure Kaos is behind this? It doesn't _feel_ like him, you know?" Spyro mused aloud. "He would send any number of lackeys after us. This is just drow and it feels like they're leading us on."  
"Kaos or not, they are a threat and their presence is offensive," Hex answered before Niall or Seraphina could.  
"I believe the psionic mind I sensed before it hid from me is behind the situation," Seraphina said in a tone clearly meant to be a warning. "This might be difficult."  
"Nothing we can't handle," Spyro puffed his chest out.

"Allow me to scout out further," Ginny-Li offered. "Core Cynder, would you accompany me?" she turned to the undead dragon.  
Cynder bobbed her head and stepped forward. "I will. Lead the way Ginny-Li."  
"Stay close, all we are to accomplish is to find the best route to cover. We can't afford detection now." The giant nearly drew her blades but decided against it, they could be easily retrieved if combat did surprise them.

"So what do we do?" Spyro asked as he paced back and forth.  
"We wait." Hex's tone said that was the obvious answer.  
The dragon rolled his eyes, tilted his head back and sighed. "You do a lot of waiting."  
"Do you want to die?" Niall asked in all seriousness. He thumped his halberd on the ground when he had the attention of everyone else. "Psionic minds are a new discovery to you but we know them well," he looked between Seraphina and Crevan. "When wounded enough it is your _choice_ that sends you back to Earth. Be it something you actively think of or subconsciously do in order to save yourself. What happens if a psionic blocks that command? Do you know what will happen if you cannot simply retreat? We all have grown too used to that fail safe."  
"How do you know we can't make it back to Earth?" Spyro shot back instantly.

"We don't," Hex replied again before anyone else could. "This is as new to them as it is to us. Take caution, Spyro. You can be too headstrong at times."  
"So says the one that nearly cost us our alliance with Tour."  
"That is enough!" Crevan said bitterly. "Now is not the time for petty arguments." He glanced between Spyro and Hex, neither seemed like they wanted to continue the argument. The Fizzling let out the breath he had been holding and turned around to study closely some of the growth around him. The alchemist that he was saw various reagents and base ingredients for potions.

Seraphina made a face as she watched Spyro brood. He was used to making an entrance and blowing apart enemy cohesion with his blatant disregard for his own safety. Stealth was needed in this instance; the drow couldn't be allowed to repel the Skylanders before they had taken out the psionic and necromancer to make way for Haven's armed forces. "You will have your opportunity, Spyro." Seraphina leaned back against a wall hidden with vines and closed her eyes. "The psionic is mine," she said without opening her eyes. "There are other ways to battle one than physically."  
"The psionic is yours," Hex nodded slowly as she watched the priestess do what she assumed was meditate.

Cynder placed one foot carefully in front of the other. Her head rotated slowly from side to side as she strode alongside the much larger Ninjiniling. The city was quiet; it had been quiet on her first visit but not _this_ quiet. There were no birds, no small forest animals scurrying about to make noise. There was just a dead silence that Cynder found chilling.  
Ginny-Li stretched a hand out suddenly to press down on Cynder's back. The dragon halted in mid step and ever so slowly and carefully set her foot down. The giant extended her other hand towards an area of thick ferns and the way they were tousled softly with a complete lack of wind. Just barely on the other side of them something of a different color could be seen.

"Have they spotted us?" Cynder asked in the softest whisper. Her nose worked furiously, she tried to detect some sort of scent to determine what it was they saw.  
"I don't think so," Ginny-Li replied in a voice that was barely audible. Still she drifted to the side to put an arching branch between her and the unknown. Cynder too stepped to the side and lowered her head to look under the branch. "I have worked with a Cynderling before; can you use your shadow form to drift in closer to the anomaly?"  
"It has a short duration," Cynder hesitated. "I also leave a spectral trail behind that harms hostiles. It won't add anything to stealth."

Ginny-Li scowled, "Well it was worth a shot I suppose." The giant looked around to see if there was a way one of them could circle around for a better look. "It could be nothing, perhaps just a forest animal but I would hate to take the chance that it isn't and _has_ seen us."  
"I'll go," Cynder offered. "I can still move quietly and hopefully without being seen. If anything happens go for the others so they won't be surprised by fall out."  
"Be careful, if you move too far from Seraphina…" the giant warned.  
"How long is her range of protection anyway?"  
Ginny-Li shifted in a way that looked like she was sitting in the air. "It all depends on how strong the other psionic is."  
"Right," Cynder said as she looked back towards the fern. "So I should just assume the unknown is stronger."  
"Always wisest, it won't hurt Seraphina's pride to learn."

Well, Cynder hadn't lied. She did move quietly and quite stealthily. Ginny-Li counted as she waited for the other Skylander. Ginny-Li wanted to go forward herself but her enormous size was the problem. The bottle she could escape to was hardly any better. Oh sure it was smaller than even Cynder but when it hopped and bopped around to move it was a noisy little bugger. The giant dared to peer around the tree limb and just did spot Cynder's retreating tail as she slipped into a building that was near the fern. It had stopped moving but that wasn't to say it was now empty.

There might have been no wind but Cynder was close enough now to smell how wrong the area was. She heard scratching and clicks as well as other noises that seemed to be coming from animals. Something had happened on the other side of the fern and the dragon knew when she peeked through it she was going to startle the animals on the other side.  
"Now or never," Cynder muttered to herself. Slowly she moved into the fern so as not to cause it to shake too much. She halted in mid step when she could see the area beyond through a small opening in the overlaying leaves. What she saw made her hold her breath.

The area was littered with corpses and the remains of drow that had been picked at by the very birds they had ridden as mounts. Beaks of the orniteryx were bloody as they scrabbled over the bodies of their former riders and the large sickle shaped claws on the inside of their feet were similarly stained crimson. They hissed and swung their heads at each other and wings as well as feathers were raised to give the illusion of the bird being larger than his opponent.  
Cynder cringed, the birds were loyal to their riders but apparently death changed that. Or the drow kept the poor animals starved and when the opportunity to feed presented itself, well. Slowly Cynder pulled her head put of the fern and backed up. She didn't want to disturb the animals lest they decide the chance to hunt and kill prey themselves was too tempting. Just barely amid the horrific scene she had spotted signs that the other group had been through there.

"The way is blocked," Cynder reported to Ginny-Li. "Our friends came through here earlier. The orniteryx are feeding on the deceased drow riders," the dragon said while making a face.  
"The birds can be easily dispatched. We should get the others to ensure nothing goes awry." Ginny-Li turned around smoothly and began to glide back the way they had come.  
"No, the way is blocked. Brambles and vines tangle up most of the area on the other side of the fern and on this side going in the direction I assume we were going to take."  
The Ninjiniling turned back to face Cynder, "Then where were the drow going?"  
Cynder shrugged, "I can't say. Maybe that was the end of their route and they were simply going to turn back around."  
"I want to see the area more myself before we retrieve the others," the giant proclaimed before she turned again to head right towards the orniteryx.

"You're sure they went that way?" Spyro asked Ginny-Li as he looked up the wall of brambles to another tier of the city.  
"I'm sure," the giant nodded in reply. "Over behind that wall," she pointed, "is the corpse of an archer done in by a fall from the looks of it. Someone had to be up there to make him fall. The war birds never found him and he has no other wounds on him. Someone shoved him off; he fell and died trying to crawl out for help."  
"I'm going to check it out," Spyro murmured as he spread his wings and took flight.  
"I'm coming with you," Cynder followed quickly.  
The purple dragon looked back down as he ascended, "No, stay here until I know what's in store." His head shot up as Cynder passed him by and crested the top of the wall first.  
"Like hell I am," the female dragon snorted as her head peered back down at him.

Spyro landed a moment later and took two steps before he saw something familiar. "Hey Cynder, what do you make of this?" Carefully he took the sky blue feather between his claws and held it up for her.  
"Looks like Windy's feathers," Cynder replied as she squinted at it. "It's broken but not bloody. Could have been shed randomly?"  
Spyro let the broken feather float and spiral back to the ground. "Look around a little bit longer. Let's make sure we have solid proof before we make the others climb the brambles."


	25. Convergence

**Convergence**

"If I manage to put any more holes in my robe I might as well not be wearing it," Seraphina scowled when she finally heft herself up and over the mass of tangled brambles to the second tier. First the broken branch of the bush during the scrap with the warlock had put a ragged hole that showed her pale blue skin then the snagging and pulling of brambles had nearly shredded her garment. Niall and Hex didn't fare any better with the brambles either.  
"You could have made yourselves useful and helped us up," Hex said pointedly to the dragons.  
"You wanna try flying a giant?" Spyro replied with a surprised blink. He cringed when Cynder slapped him with her tail.

"Ginny-Li can _fly_. I'm sorry, I suppose I let my determination to not let Spyro leave me behind cloud my judgment," Cynder said sheepishly.  
"You never asked," Ginny-Li shrugged at the group of Skylanders that had been forced to climb.  
Niall laughed at the look Hex gave the giant, "It is a respect thing. If you do not you ask for help a gargoyle will not offer it unless you would die without. To them help offered when it is not requested is an insult and off-hand way of telling someone they are incompetent."  
"Bizarre creatures," Hex muttered under her breath. Still now that she knew Ginny-Li's reasoning she could respect her choice.

"We are close to the others," Seraphina said suddenly. "Uriel's efforts are either weakening or our proximity is allowing their auras to radiate stronger." She waved to the others to follow her, undaunted by obstacles she was determined to meet back up with her siblings and make their group whole again.  
"You read auras?" Spyro asked.  
"It can be done with magic or potions too, it is something we have used commonly to track individuals," Crevan replied. "Although, the potion or indicator spell must be first applied to the person or object before the locator can be used."  
"The eirian elves learned it from us," Ginny-Li grinned. "It's new to them as well so don't look so impressed by it."

Spyro watched the Hexling drift by him, "I'm reminded more of the magic Eon possessed before Kaos sealed him away. Skylanders focus more on offensive skills; you have a wide range of defensive and seeking skills."  
"Anicetus tells me you met with Archmage Mihangel in Meir Valan. He would be honored to work with your casters to increase their repertoire."  
"This offer I will gladly accept, Priestess. Thank you," Hex responded.

Anicetus and Eloryn Reve walked ahead of the rest of their group. They didn't quite know yet how to react to the news of other Skylanders being involved. The two whispered softly to one another as they held their distance. Windy felt the heavy weight of regret on her shoulders. She couldn't do a thing about the drow in Uzern but she did feel guilty for her return against the request of her Tour friends.  
Camo walked by the hybrid's side. His head was cocked to the side and his eyes ever roving the overgrown city. He was listening intently to the murmur of the trees and understood that they were surrounded by an enemy that outnumbered them several hundred to one. It wasn't the same as dealing with Kaos's scattered minions in remote locations. There his forces relied on enslaved locals; here it was more like wandering into the enemy rally and deployment point.

"Another patrol is ahead of us," Camo said to break the silence. "Coming this way. There are others around us as well. They know we are here and are set to find us."  
"Can your tree friends give us specific details?" Meilyr inquired.  
Camo squinted his eyes for a moment then shook his head, "They do not measure things as we do. Sometimes how they speak to me is confusing. The drow could be on the level above or below us, height is relative to a tree and everything is below them."  
"Then we move back into the side streets, it was risky to remain in the open as long as we have."  
"Oh, I _hate_ the side streets," Windy muttered at Wraith's command. "They're almost always overgrown with things that tangle and scratch."

The yellow and black Swarmling stood up straighter suddenly as if he had heard something. "Into a building, quickly," Nivaeus said as he turned to the right. His long, backward arching antenna stood up a little straighter and vibrated just barely. His senses were different as a Swarmling but they were still some of the most sensitive in the group. He had felt vibrations in the air that signaled they weren't alone. "The drow are on our level."  
The group split up at that, it hadn't been planned but things happened in a way to cause it. Meilyr, Anicetus and Eloryn ducked into one building while Windy, Camo, Wraith and Nivaeus stuck to another.

"They'll be spotted for sure," Nivaeus scowled. Across the plaza he could clearly see the light from Anicetus's flames through the massive windows that lined the front of the building; the forest growth simply wasn't thick enough to conceal the glow.  
"Then we turn it into an ambush when it happens," Wraith replied. He put a massive hand against Windy's chest to pull the Whirlwindling back when she insisted on sticking her head a little too far out the vine covering.  
"They'll be even madder if they get found out!" the hybrid complained.  
"Work with what ya got," Camo told her. "You have to plow a field before you can plant it." Carefully the forest dragon coaxed vines to grow and reinforce the web of cover over the other group.  
Windy was confused as to what his allegory meant but decided not to question it. Instead she sat still with only her tail swaying behind her as she watched the building across the way.

Meilyr hardly blinked as he peered out into the street. He was nervous, very clearly he could see Anicetus's glow on the vines in front of him and even saw light splashed out onto the street beyond. He had told the prince of this but still his oldest friend didn't budge. So Meilyr had simply given up and hoped for the best. The Fizzling had been surprised when the vines began to swell and block the large holes in the leafy cover and said a silent thank you to Camo.  
"I can hear them," Eloryn said with her head cocked to the side. "They are mounted. Several of them. I… cannot quite tell how many."  
"Better than what I can tell," Anicetus muttered. He didn't hear a thing yet. Judging by how Meilyr's ears were swiveling either he heard them too or was trying to pick them up. "Oh wait, now I hear them."

The claws on both the orniteryx and trekkers of the group clacked and scratched across the avenue as the riders raced down it. Comprised of twenty three orniteryx and six trekkers the group was prepared for combat and running word of sightings. The riders on the trekkers were dressed lightly; they would be the sprinters and messengers. The orniteryx riders wore heavy armor that was viciously spiked and pointed everywhere possible.

Trekkers led the group and didn't even look behind them or sideways as they raced past the two groups hidden in the buildings. The orniteryx however did slow and stop in the area. The bird's chests heaved and the riders looked eagerly behind them with weapons from lances to swords and crossbows held at the ready.  
"Are they still following us?" a drow sitting astride a dark green and brown war bird asked. The voice said she was female even if her armor did nothing to give that fact away. She turned her bird around, the large avian's feathers ruffled and wings fluttered as the bird tried to make herself look larger.  
"You think they're going to let us warn others?" another rider laughed. He tightened his grip on his lance. "Spread out, hide between buildings. I'll stay here. Khern, Hilek you're with me. Xerene, you signal the others to move. You have a good eye for that."  
The female drow on the green and brown orniteryx nodded before she divided up her group to surround the area evenly.

"Hold," Wraith hissed when Windy became antsy again. One of the drow was so very close to them, just around the corner from the window they could see out of. The giant had pushed everyone back further into the room. Wraith held one stubby finger up to his lips and said nothing else.  
Camo bobbed his head a few times and took to pacing back and forth with his eyes darting from the leafy covering that hid them back to the solid wall that separated them from the drow sitting astride an orniteryx. He was sure the others were thinking the same thing; the party with the other Cores must be coming up behind the drow. The ambush wasn't going to go how the drow planed.

Finally Anicetus saw reason to move away from the windows. He turned full around and looked between his sister and Meilyr before he pointed back the way they had come. There were better positions to take, ones that would allow them to surprise the drow who were trying to do that very thing to someone else.  
The trio moved silently, the going was agonizingly slow with Anicetus so his armor plate wouldn't scrape or click against itself or the floor he walked across. A shadow just outside the door gave them pause; one of the riders must have sheltered just on the other side. Meilyr shook his head as Anicetus crept forward undaunted. The Ignitorling raised an armored finger to what would have been his lips as he drew ever nearer. The prince wasn't worried in the least and was determined to make use of himself.

Spyro and Cynder led the group; their sleek draconic forms flowed fluidly like stalking cats as they warily approached the area where the scent of war bird and drow was strongest. The group was far from complete however; Ginny-Li had looped out wide and was going to creep up on the far side of the drow. Niall showed a knack for stealth most of the others hadn't expected when he too slipped away to join the Ninjiniling in a rear assault. That left the Fizzling Crevan flanked by two undead elves, Hex in black and Seraphina in her torn and tattered white priestess robes.  
"How many of them are there?" Spyro asked when he saw only three standing like a blockade in the middle of the avenue.  
"Twenty three," Seraphina replied. "The other twenty mean to ambush us. They will fail," she smirked. As of yet she didn't wish to reveal to the others that her siblings and their party were in the vicinity. "The group of trekkers that rode ahead will prove problematic for us. We must finish this group quickly and move on."

"Put the Spyroling in your sights, Hilek," the lance toting drow in the middle said.  
"What about the Cynderling, Hawk?" the third drow asked. He felt Hilek had the advantage with his crossbow while Hawk and himself held close range weapons. "The dragons are the most threatening. Shouldn't you have kept one of the other crossbowmen?"  
Hawk hissed and glared hard at the black armored swordsman. The Skylanders were probably suspicious of hidden attackers but he didn't need to confirm it for them. "Hold your tongue or charge the dame yourself."  
The swordsman scowled and subconsciously tugged the reins on his orniteryx. The bird's spiked helm rose as he squawked in protest. "I'll take my chances that Hilek is fast enough with that thing to make up for it."

"Are we gonna dance or what?" Spyro asked. The drow _had_ to know he and the others were prepared for an ambush. Certainly they were aware of the fact the group was suddenly short the giant that was with them earlier. Even if they had missed Niall they would be blind or stupid to have missed Ginny-Li.  
The orniteryx danced nervously suddenly and left their riders scowling as they reined them in. The birds wouldn't have it though and began to protest as they tried to turn away from the Skylanders. "Bloody birds, act like ye've never seen a dragon before!" Hilek scowled as he was forced to lower his crossbow in favor of controlling his mount.  
"Well," Spyro grinned as he spread his wings, "They've never seen me!" With a powerful downbeat of his wings the dragon was airborne. Cynder was a heartbeat behind him and the two dragons flew screaming at the war birds and drow.

"Shoot it, shoot it!" the swordsman yelled as he slashed harmlessly at the air. The dragons hadn't even swooped in close enough to be hit, he had panicked. So distracted by the dragons were the three riders that they failed to take into account the undead elves and Fizzling. It wasn't until one of the orniteryx was hit with an enormous and heavy skull did they remember. Drow heads swiveled back to the trio in time to see a barrage of phantom orbs racing their way and the disappearance of the Fizzling.

Crevan showed himself almost immediately; the gremlin was now hulking and vicious as he charged the trio from the left. The nearest bird, Hilek's black and grey mount, turned to accept the challenge. The orniteryx balanced himself on one foot and slashed out with the other a lightning quick strike at the Fizzling. The bird's large sickle claw would have been devastating for the Fizzling if he hadn't managed to catch the orniteryx by the leg. Crevan looked up at the rider with a toothy grin and tugged hard on the angry bird's thick leg. With a squawk the bird fell to his side and crushed Hilek under thrashing wings and a neck straining to keep an eye on his attacker. Hilek was set free a moment later when his mount was forcefully pulled out from under him and then used to bludgeon him. Hilek saw a screaming hooked beak coming at him before blackness descended via that same beak hitting him in the temple.

One powerful beat of his wings propelled Spyro up higher and out of the way of the black and grey mass of feathers that had been tossed like a pebble by Crevan. Spyro arched his neck back and let loose a stream of fire to set the bird on fire and further add to the chaos below him. The three drow had grown in number. Ginny-Li and Niall had each flushed out another rider with their surprise attacks as other drow began to charge in. Spyro was startled to see the familiar red scarf wearing Whirlwindling burst through a section of vines to bite one of the orniteryx on the tail.  
"Spyro," Cynder called to him, "The crossbowmen!" She angled herself to target one and hit him with black bolts of crackling electricity before switching to gale winds to force the bird he rode to hunker down low in an effort to avoid being bowled over by the power of her elemental breath.  
"On it!" the purple dragon replied. He decided to let loose a blizzard and iced over the street all around the second crossbowman. Niall had no trouble slinging tripwire spells around the area that kept the orniteryx dancing and struggling for balance. The drow never managed to find an opening for a shot amid the chaos and with Niall's help Spyro dropped him easily.

The drow and orniteryx stood motionless in front of Anicetus. "Move quickly, get her restrained!" he called out to his sister Eloryn. The Ignitorling could hold the drow frozen in time for a long time but he was eager to enter the battle out on the streets.  
The Flashwingling snorted and looked back to Meilyr, "How, we do not have anything to restrain her with."  
Anicetus scowled and drew his sword before he hacked at a cluster of smaller vines. He pulled them away from the wall and untangled them before tossing one end to Meilyr. "Improvise."  
"I could not tie her anyway," Eloryn snapped back, "no hands!" She flexed her claws and dragged them across the stone platform most of the tier sat upon. While her brother and Meilyr bound the drow's arms to her side and legs to her mount Eloryn took aim carefully and used two crystal shards to puncture each of the drow's hands. She wouldn't be able to grip a weapon if she did manage to wriggle out of the vines once Anicetus had restarted time for her.  
"The orniteryx too," Meilyr said when Anicetus seemed content to just bind the rider. "You do not want her coming at you anymore than you want the rider." The Ignitorling grunted but complied.

Wraith simply walked out into the street holding the thrashing drow up by the back of his armor. The giant didn't seem worried in the least by the orniteryx that ran past him or the stray elemental attacks from dragon or undead sorceress. Behind him walked Nivaeus, the other giant was watching the scene around him and noted as the drow dropped one by one with the occasional orniteryx needing to be put down as well.  
"Guess we missed all the fun," Nivaeus said wryly.  
Wraith snorted as the remaining drow were subdued by the efforts of Anicetus and finished off by someone else's attack. In the end the Skylanders had three drow huddled together with Wraith's restrained individual bringing the total to four.  
"We left one more tied up in the alley," Anicetus hooked a thumb behind him.

"It is good to see you again," Ginny-Li punched Wraith then Nivaeus in the shoulder. "Did you see the trekkers?"  
"Long gone," Nivaeus shook his head. "We heard their approach and took cover to see what chased us."  
Camo's head was cocked to the side as he seemingly listened to something the others couldn't hear. "The riders on trekkers have raised the alarm. More riders are coming our way and…" Camo's eyes went wide for a moment and he turned to Windy.  
"What?" the hybrid asked as she walked up between Spyro and Cynder. "Why are you looking at me like that?"  
"The trees have described to me individuals that fit Lunar and Sprint's descriptions. They are not restrained and walk alongside the riders."

"What does that mean?" Anicetus asked Camo.  
"The drow have a gargoyle psionic in their arsenal," Hex replied. She folded her arms across her chest. "You are going to have to fight your friends."  
"I can't do that," Windy gasped as her ears dropped down. "That's not fair!"  
"Not fair?" Eloryn barked. "You decided to bring them here without first asking if it was wise or if it was allowed!"  
"Elo now is not the time," Seraphina said with a swift slice of her hand through the air to indicate she meant business.  
Wraith tromped ahead of the group then turned back to face the whole of the assembly. "We move, now. Filter through the side streets, try to avoid this group. Destroy them," the giant pointed to the drow.

"Soothsayer," Nivaeus called to the eldest princess. He never used the honorary title to refer to Seraphina, she had always insisted the gargoyles call her by name and they did. None of them even used princess to refer to her when they spoke directly to her. The fact Nivaeus had opted for a title let Seraphina know he was going to suggest something she might not like. "Use them."  
Seraphina's nostrils flared and her eyes widened, "Absolutely not!"  
"Use them, use them how?" Spyro moved forward and curled a lip into a snarl when one of the drow dared to glare at him. "You'll get only trouble from them. They reek of the taint."  
"That is forbidden among even gargoyles. How can you ask me to violate the rules I too follow?" Seraphina had begun to pace. It left the Cores as well as Crevan confused as to what she and the giant were talking about.

The Hexling snorted and waved again. "Tell them, the drow have been cut off from the conversation. They will not hear."  
Ginny-Li looked first to Wraith before she started, "In this case I am going to have to agree with Nivaeus. Use compulsion and control their minds; send them back to their allies as sleepers."  
"You can't," Cynder's eyes were wide as she looked to Seraphina. "That's too much like what Malefor did to me!"  
Hex narrowed her eyes, "You can do that?"  
"Every gargoyle psionic can," Wraith replied. "As can Seraphina and her mate Kaelin." The giant folded his arms across his chest. "It is forbidden for good reason. To rob another of their freewill is an underhanded ploy that is dangerously close to letting the darkness into one's heart. The Shadows may use it freely but no other gargoyle in any of the other clans would even think of it. Our psionics know how to do it only because the skill is needed to reverse the effects."  
"To use it, even against _them_," Seraphina pointed furiously at the drow, "would make me no better than them. I am offended that you would even ask such a thing of me."

"If you do it to them, could they help get Sprint and Lunar away from the drow?" Windy asked.  
Seraphina's jaw was clenched so tightly her cheeks and neck quivered with the effort. She didn't want to answer, "I do not know. It takes time to alter a mind." Niall stepped up beside her wordlessly and the Hexling glanced to him only to catch the barest shake of his head.  
"Some can learn to control the darkness that takes root within," Spyro said slowly. "If we can surprise the drow isn't it worth a chance?"  
Again Seraphina looked appalled by the suggestion. "And if I am not able to control it?"  
"No one ever said the darkness _will_ take hold," Nivaeus pointed out. "You skirt close to it, flirting with it is one thing. Allowing it in is another."

"No! This is insane!" Meilyr yelled with his arms flailing wildly. "Ani, Elo, say something! Why are you so quiet?"  
"The idea has merit," Anicetus sighed. He felt heartbroken to see the look of betrayal Seraphina gave him.  
"Elo?" the eldest princess turned to the Flashwingling.  
"I think you could do it and be fine," she said softly while refusing to look at her older sister.  
"For the love of," Seraphina exclaimed as she threw her head back and covered her eyes with both hands. "Niall, Crevan? Do you care to weigh in on it?" Her shoulders slumped as she dreaded their responses.  
"It goes against everything we were ever taught as priests," Niall replied. He gave a disapproving and sour look to the Ignitorling and Flashwingling, they should have known better.  
"No," Crevan said simply. "It is not worth the risk." He moved up on Seraphina's other side to make a visual display of his dislike. He and Niall exchanged looks that seemed to hold an entire conversation before they looked back out on the others.

Hex drifted up towards Seraphina with a stoic look on her face that never wavered even when the princess gave her a wounded look that questioned her wordlessly. "The best intentions of good noble men can lead to tragedy. Kill the drow if you must do something with them. I won't let you break their minds if it may land you on the other side."  
"Nor will I," Cynder stepped forward.  
"Bad idea to do," Camo shook his head. "They agree," he nodded to the nearest tree. "You do not want to sow the seeds of darkness." Camo too moved in closer to Seraphina. With the group around her it looked like they were trying to protect her from the others.  
"Then it's settled," Wraith nodded. There was no fight in him, just acceptance.  
"But my friends!" Windy protested. "How will we get them back?" She turned wide eyes from Seraphina to the three giants.  
"Blood, sweat and tears," Ginny-Li murmured before she drew her blades.

"Executed," a witch in a blood red robe said as she stood back up. She cleaned her bloodied fingers on the kerchief she carried with her then balled it up to slide back up her sleeve. "The blood still trickles, we have only just missed them." She took the reins of the orniteryx with feathers the same color as her robe before she swung back up onto the saddle. "They couldn't have gone far. Take the puppets back to the palace. They'll meet their former allies soon enough," the witch told two of the mounted drow. Both were grim faced and covered with scars where their light leather armor failed to cover them. With curt nods they peeled away and whistled. Lunar and Sprint turned fluidly like trained dogs to follow the drow and their mounts.

The witch grimaced at the corpses that were slouched against one another. "We split up from here. Groups of three. I want one this way and others in those directions," she said as she pointed forward, behind and to either side of their current position.  
"We're two people extra for even groups," a crossbowman pointed out.  
"You," the witch pointed to a lower ranking witch, "and you," she pointed to a swordsman, "Go with the others back to the palace." She looked right at the crossbowman that had pointed out her flawed logic, her jaw twitched as she clenched her teeth. "Are you satisfied now?"  
"Yes ma'am," the crossbowman said while trying to shrink into his saddle.  
"Good, you lead one of the groups. If we fail to find the Skylanders I will make leather from your hide," she promised.

When there was need for it Wraith could move surprisingly quick. Still the deep scowl he wore spoke volumes about his disdain for his slower, lumbering pace. It wasn't by choice that he brought up the rear after all. The rather colorful group flitted through the side streets and sometimes through buildings as they moved away from the spot the drow were going to converge on. There was no telling how many would answer the call for reinforcements and from what directions they would come.  
"Where is the palace?" Windy asked at normal volume without any worry of being overheard. She received two hisses and a multitude of glares for the trouble. "If that's where this psionic is then I want to get there as quickly as possible!" she protested with a glare of her own.  
"Up two more tiers," Seraphina answered. She halted the group on the edge of a plaza and pointed out to a vertical freestanding column of stone. "If we can summon that lift we are that much closer to our destination."

"What lies in the area, Seraphina," Wraith asked as the hulking giant came up beside the smaller Hexling. He stopped anyone from walking out of the side street they were in. Until they knew what to expect he didn't want anyone unprotected out in the open.  
Her expression went flat, "I cannot detect anything in the area." She shook her head when her companions took it wrong, "The psionic has blocked me from detecting the drow. Every last one of them is masked from my probing. We have no edge other than he cannot find us without drow making visual contact."  
"Then I'm going out there," Cynder tilted her head towards the lift. "We'll never know what awaits us unless we take a chance. Stay here and watch my back."  
"I can mask your presence so tha-"  
"No," Cynder cut off Seraphina. "I _want_ to get their attention."  
"I'm coming with you," Spyro said quickly.  
"No, no you're not," Cynder looked at him in all seriousness. "One of us, particularly a 'weak and helpless girl' will draw attention and curiosity while giving them a false sense of security. We go from there."

"Should it not be Windy that goes out, then? You do not look helpless in the least. You hold yourself too proudly."  
The Whirlwindling glared hard at Eloryn, she didn't want to use herself as bait unless she was certain it would help her friends. "Why don't you go? You look rich and arrogant. Bet they'll see you as a way to make ransom."  
"No, just no," Meilyr grunted as he put a paw on the side of Eloryn's head and pushed her one way while doing the same to Windy. "We are on the same side. Drop it."  
Cynder sniffed, "I can _look_ scared and helpless if I want. You just be ready to take out whoever shows themselves."  
"Then we have your back, Core Cynder," Niall bowed to her.

It was convincing to say the least when Cynder walked out with her head down. She had rolled her shoulders up so rather than a cautiously lowered head it looked like a submissive posture. She kept her tail low and tucked up partially under her while she held her wings so tightly against her body that they quivered from the effort. Her footsteps too were irregular and slow. She paused at every little noise she heard. So long as she kept her head down her eyes could remain sharp as they roved the area. Occasionally she would raise her head in mock surprise and widen her eyes as her chest heaved with quick breaths and she looked around as if she had heard something. Cynder had even taken to swallowing hard with a slight bob of her head to accent it.  
Behind her the whole of the group had taken cover until they could be certain either no one was around or that they had taken the bait and revealed themselves. Cynder wanted to turn back around and squint to detect the cloaking shell the princess had employed to allow everyone to hide in plain sight. Still the dragon knew if she did she might give them away and that was counterproductive.

So far nothing had happened, Cynder didn't hear nor smell any new arrivals in the area. She had almost reached the platform. Well, the dragon had no purpose in using it to get to the next tier so unless she found something that would honestly interest her about it she was going to have to make a choice. The party wanted to go up because they had a destination in mind. If Cynder was supposed to be lost why would she go up if there were other avenues on her current level to explore? So far nothing had given Cynder any sort of indication that going up was where a lost Skylander would travel by chance.  
The black dragon yawned, well the lack of action was boring but not enough to make her _that_ bored. She stifled another yawn and decided to veer away from the platform. There _had_ to be someone around. She couldn't possibly have the good luck of finding an area devoid of drow after the alarm had been raised.

"Ok, she's going to give it away that she's trying to prompt anyone in hiding to come out if she keeps yawning like that," Spyro snorted. "She knows better than that!"  
"She does," Hex murmured with her eyes narrowed into slits. "I think she's found something but hasn't realized it yet."  
"The yawns told you this?" Crevan blinked in confusion.  
"A spell, yes," Niall mused as he too squinted in an effort to see something, anything, out of the ordinary.  
Ginny-Li shifted and took to looking in directions opposite of the other two. "If it is a triggered effect we aren't going to get much excitement out of it."  
"She should turn back then before she gets careless and alerts the drow that their trap has been sprung. Contact her, Seraphina," Wraith said as he turned to look at the elven psionic.  
"Not true, Ginny," Anicetus brought others back to the Ninjiniling's statement. "We will not see excitement unless it also comes with an alarm."

Cynder collapsed suddenly and Spyro didn't even pause for a second before he dashed out of the protective shield Seraphina had set over them.  
"Wait!" Crevan yelled. A moment later and Spyro collapsed; in places where his scales were soft his hide was riddled with darts bearing colorful tufts.  
"No warning, I got no warning!" Camo cried in alarm. The trees hadn't warned him, how was that possible? The hybrid danced around in agitation as Windy and Hex both tried to calm him. It was too late, Seraphina and Nivaeus cried out as stray darts found them.  
Seraphina groaned and sank to her knees, as she lost the ability to focus the barrier she held collapsed and the group was completely open.

"Run!" Wraith bellowed. He stooped to pick up the dazed Hexling while Ginny-Li did the same for Nivaeus. A flurry of darts rained down on the fleeing Skylanders. If they could find shelter they could fight back properly and return for their incapacitated friends. Buildings were all around, a residential district in which most doors had been sealed shut via growth from the forest. It was frustrating to have so many opportunities for cover and have the inability to utilize any of them.  
"No!" Crevan gasped. The Fizzling held his arms up to protect himself from the darts that whizzed by, not that it would do him any good if they struck his arms. Luck was with the Fizzling however and every last one of them had missed, others weren't so lucky.  
Windy dropped next followed by Eloryn when the Flashwingling tripped over the Whirlwindling and moved her wings in a way that allowed darts to get past the protecting crystals and into the most vulnerable parts of her hide.  
Wraith tried his hardest to keep a jet of fire above the heads of the others to ruin the incoming darts but it wasn't enough. Niall, Hex and Camo went down at almost the same time. Darts clattered off Anicetus's armor, the Ignitorling had no flesh at all for them to find purchase in.

"Wraith, my Portal Master isn't responding," Ginny-Li said rapidly. Crevan shook his head as did Meilyr.  
"Nor mine," Anicetus followed. Wraith never got to answer; the giant groaned and dropped Seraphina when the sheer amount of darts he had taken finally managed to overwhelm the fire golem's system. He faltered then dropped to his knees and finally onto his chest. A flurry of additional darts peppered his flank to ensure the giant would stay down.  
"Move faster, must move faster!" Meilyr exclaimed with eyes wide enough they looked ready to fall out of his sockets. He took two more steps and dropped like a rock with red dart tufts sticking out of his back.  
Crevan's head whipped from side to side as he ran. "Light, where are they?" The gremlin gasped when a dart hit him in the chest and spun him around before he too fell with multiple darts in his shoulders and one in the thigh.

"Don't stop now," Ginny-Li said through grit teeth. Reluctantly she let Nivaeus go; he was slowing her down and if she could at least get Anicetus to safety the two of them might stand a chance of getting the others out of the mess they had stepped into. The Ninjiniling reached out to pick up the smaller Ignitorling and took a dart to the neck and two in her fingers just below the armored gauntlet.  
"Ginny-Li!" Anicetus barked with an outstretched hand when his last companion hit the street hard. The Ignitorling turned around, his heart pounded even though he was sure as a spirit he didn't have a traditional one. They had failed, just like that. Something as simple as poisoned darts had brought about their downfall.

At last the drow showed themselves. Lancers, swordsmen and casters all armed with blow dart tubes. They were tucked away in the surrounding buildings and even on the roofs. They had to have been aware of the Skylanders since they first stepped into the area. They had toyed with them all along and waited for the Skylanders to put themselves in the perfect position.  
"So this is the force Haven sends to defend its borders?" The speaker was a warlock with deep green skin and a patch over his left eye covering a giant scar that stretched out from under it on the top and bottom. The scar went well up into his hairline and left an area of bald scalp around it. His remaining sandy colored hair was drawn back into a tight ponytail that sat atop his head and still reached all the way down to his waist. He wore a strange tunic that seemed to shift colors and had a life of its own. His garment swayed lightly in a breeze that touched no one else, not even the warlock's hair.  
"Who are you?" the Ignitorling demanded. He wasn't too surprised when he received no answer. Alone now the Ignitorling drew himself up tall and proud with flames burning a fierce red.

"What do you want us to do with them?" A heavily armored goliath asked. He was huge, even for a goliath. The brute's commonplace tusks were larger as well and capped with golden crowns that matched the gold inlay on his ram horn helm. Armor covered the drow from head to toe; he wore a full suit that was wicked with its forearm and shin spikes.  
"Bring them back to the palace and Asmodeus," the warlock said simply. "Either he will have his pet turn them into puppets as well or we might get to see them fight one another."  
Anicetus snorted and drew his sword, he may have been surrounded but he would be damned before he just let the drow take his friends and family. A part of him wanted to simply go with them, they were going to take him exactly where he wanted to be. But no, Anicetus would at least put on a show of being defiant. If he went too easily he might miss his chance. "I will not let you take them."

The warlock laughed, his one eye crinkled in mirth, "You, all by yourself plan to stop us? Oh this is rich." He snapped his fingers and the goliath flexed his thick arms and grinned before he strode out to meet the Ignitorling.  
"I don't know, I might laugh too hard and let him defeat me," the drow wisecracked.  
"See that you don't," the warlock sniffed and glided back out of the area.  
Anicetus's fingers tightened on the hilt of his sword, if he could occupy the drow long enough it was possible someone might come out of their stupor and assist him. The Ignitorling wouldn't know until he tried. "I am not just some whelp graced with Ignitor's swordsmanship; I was trained in the art from a young age."  
"You'll go down all the same," the armored goliath promised.


	26. Convoluted

**Convoluted**

Commander Roghallach Tierney found himself leading a unit of Skylanders through the darkened forest floor of the elfwood. The initial surprise over their appearance quickly faded when their usefulness as the leaders of the charge was taken into account. It had been Roghallach's idea to lead them in when Queen Elanniah was taken aback by their sudden appearance. The Queen of Haven had given her consent, a part of her felt it would have been insulting to have Meir Valan's commander following the orders her own gave so she had agreed to the proposal quite easily. The Skylanders needed a guide through the forest and Uzern; it was holy ground and a political matter after all. Roghallach's presence satisfied the Queen and allowed her to rest easy with the addition of even more Skylanders.

Roghallach's unit was to quickly infiltrate the city and spread out to occupy the drow while the rest of Haven's army moved in slower and cleared the elfwood below before they ascended to the city itself. The Skylanders weren't the only surprises for the drow, word had reached the Wolf Clan of gargoyles and their warriors had arrived in force. Melee fighters, magisters and most important of all the psionics. Gargoyles normally kept to themselves, they weren't usually so involved in the affairs of the elves but when word reached them that the outcome could affect them as well they had decided it wise to act. They met with Commander Roghallach and his unit of Skylanders as well as Haven's Commander Caoimhe to refine their attack plan and sent psionics with each group to ensure communication flowed easily between them.

The gargoyles would go in at the same time the Skylanders did, they would come down on the city from above while the Skylanders rose up to it. Roghallach's stomach seemed to be doing cartwheels, it didn't matter how many battles he saw the feeling never went away. On the outside he was calm and collected, only his stomach betrayed him internally as his thoughts were full of strategy and tactics. For the moment his motley crew wasn't moving, Stealth Elf along with the only gargoyle psionic under the command of Roghallach had gone ahead to scout for delays and the rest of the force hung back biding their time. They were a good group but not military in rank and file, Roghallach wouldn't be able to issue many commands that they would follow exactly to the letter but with their track record he could overlook it this one time.

"Commander Roghallach?" a gruff voice said to the elf over the muted din of conversations.  
The red haired eirian turned around to find Gill Grunt standing at attention before him. "Yes?"  
"Sir, I just wanted to clarify something with you that the gargoyle warrior mentioned." Gill seemed to hesitate for a moment then shook himself into action. "She said there is a chance the force that shielded the city from their mental probing is psionic as well and could turn allies into foes. How will we know if this has happened? I don't want anyone jumping at finding friends around a corner any more than you." Psionics were terribly new to Gill, to the rest of the Skylanders actually. He really didn't know what he was supposed to think or how to react to them.  
Roghallach closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly, "I am sorry, Gill. There is no way to tell until they have attacked. Sometimes those under the sway of a psionic will act like normal until a certain command is issued and their conditioned response takes over."

Gill scratched his neck and stared off into space. "I was afraid of that. Thank you, Commander Roghallach." The gillman saluted the elf and turned to join Flameslinger and Fright Rider.  
"Well?" Rider inquired. Fright was nervous and kept dancing in place. The ostrich's head swiveled in nearly every direction as he cocked it from side to side to hear everything at once. The undead elf reached out to stroke his mount's bare skull and the bird seemed to ease if only slightly.  
"You were right," Gill nodded slowly. "We won't know if our allies have been compromised until it's too late to prepare for it."  
"Oh this is bleak I am thinking. I am not liking it," Flameslinger shook his head.  
"Just, be prepared," Gill sighed. "What is taking that woman so long?" he asked in agitation.  
"Oh Stealth?" Flameslinger chuckled. "Ma chère is nothing if not very thorough. She is good at what she is to be doing."  
Gill opened his mouth to say something but the mounted elf beat him to it. "Including brushing you off?" Rider said as he leaned forward onto the front edge of Fright's saddle. The undead elf smirked at Flameslinger's scowl and wave.  
"Non, imbécile. She is playing the hard to get. I know this, you have no skill with the ladies," Flameslinger shook a finger at the mounted Skylander. "Chevalier sans espoir," he grinned.  
"Augh," Rider grunted as he sat up straight again, "speak Common tongue, archer."

"You two sound like gossiping girls," Slam Bam said as he walked by them. There was no amusement on the white and blue four armed yeti's face as he moved up towards Commander Roghallach for conversation. It was obvious the Commander wasn't too keen on all the chatter around him and he kept his replies to the yeti short and to the point.  
"He is right, you know," Gill smirked at the two of them.  
"And they're _both_ hopeless, no matter what the fire walker says." The sudden appearance of Stealth right in the middle of the three conversing Skylanders caused more than one to jump. She had quite literally appeared out of thin air. Stealth looked past her companions and strode up to the elven commander they were following.

"The drow are on the move, Commander Roghallach," Stealth informed him. She nodded to Slam Bam when the yeti stepped away to grant her an audience.  
"Where are they, what are their numbers?"  
"They're converging on the city. Unless we want to deal with all of them down here we're going to have to wait for them to take the lifts first. I can't see us managing to beat them to the lifts if more than one group is going to use the same one."  
Roghallach growled and turned away, "That will put the gargoyle attack ahead of ours unless they care to wait. It also means we might meet extreme hostility the moment we arrive in the city. Where is the psionic that scouted with you?"  
Stealth pointed into the forest. "Morning Dew lingered behind. We found something else; you'll want to see this. There's a spirit priest holding two drow that has asked for an officer from Haven. I told him we have you; he wants to meet."  
"Then we should meet with him post haste. Stealth, I want you, Gill and Slam to keep the others _quiet_. At this rate the drow will hear us before we even know they are about."  
"Imma bash me some heads," Slam said as he cracked the knuckles on all four of his hands.  
"If you can do it silently," Stealth muttered under her breath.

Anicetus Reve walked with his head down and arms chained behind his back with his feet similarly shackled. He should have known the goliath was nothing more than a distraction. The Ignitorling was so focused on the hulking drow that he didn't realize a caster was prepping a spell until it was too late and the Ignitorling was paralyzed. He had made a promise to Seraphina to not use his chronokinesis unless a life depended upon it but now he had wished he had broken that promise. Anicetus found himself unable to do a thing; the spell the warlock had cast dulled his senses and made it hard for him to think. There was no way Anicetus could focus enough for a psionic attack.

Cart wheels squeaked as they clattered down the city streets. Trekkers drew flatbeds piled up with Skylanders, both Cores and the Tour natives. Drow armor clanked and saddles creaked as the procession traveled to the heart of the city; the palace district. There was no conversation exchanged, the group simply traveled in silence. At one point a steady thumping sound joined the caravan. The giant ent Timber walked on the fringes of the group like a shadow. He didn't even so much as bat an eye at the other Skylanders. He walked with purpose as any soldier would with his back straight and shoulders rolled back, the drow were completely at ease with him.

The deeper into Uzern the caravan traveled the more populated the city became. Drow had begun to clear vines from doors and windows so they could set up buildings for use. Residences as well as shop fronts were restored to operational status. Lights shone in windows again and elves moved through the rooms and halls freely. The light in the city itself was akin to twilight thanks to the canopy above and the drow had set up torches that burned a bitter fuel that gave off thick, oily, black smoke.  
It looked like the military camp it was. Pens were set up to corral the animals the drow rode as well as used as beasts of burden. Growth in the streets that would hinder the wheels of carts was cleared and the city began to transform into a more recognizable habitat. Buildings that needed structural support now had poles to prop up walls that became compromised when too many vines were cleared away.

Anicetus could only see the drow. Hundreds of them milled about and further desecrated the holy city with their mere presence. Some took note of the Skylander procession and looked up with grins or prideful smirks. The spell that held the Ignitorling muted his anger, he knew what he saw was wrong but he was unable to process it. Well, no, Anicetus saw more than just drow. It seemed the closer to the heart of the city he came the more spirits he saw. They looked despondent and broken, heads down and eyes adverted. Not a single one was seen outside of a building. It wounded Anicetus to see them in such a state, they lost their lives so long ago to the drow and now the drow had suppressed their spirits. Anicetus's heart ached for the Fallen of Uzern and he vowed to make sure they were set free.

"Hold," a voice ahead droned.  
The eye patch wearing drow raised his hand and the group came to a halt, the wheeled carts creaked and groaned as if in protest. "What is this about?" the warlock asked in irritation. He looked at the Spyroling that had stopped them. Anger welled up inside at how quickly the puppet Skylanders were turned into favored allies.  
"Asmodeus says they will remain a threat. The psionic that protected them put something in place to keep his pet's influence from taking hold. Restrain them before you bring them in," Scorch said.  
The warlock gave him a blank stare in return then inhaled deeply. "You heard the puppet, restrain them." He drew rein on his solid black orniteryx as he waited for the others to carry out his orders. Oh, he was outwardly calm when it came to the puppet Skylanders but inside he didn't trust them one bit. They looked way too nonchalant; there were no glazed or vacant stares. They looked completely normal and no different from the Skylanders currently sleeping off sedatives.

The Ignitorling watched the drow tie up his companions as if he were in a dream helplessly watching events unfold. It pained him to see them bend Eloryn's neck back to tie her head to her tail and in turn stretch her legs out to tie the front with her neck and back with her tail. Spyro, Cynder, Camo and Windy were similarly tied. Everyone else saw similar treatment. They bent the others back to tie their hands with their feet behind them. It left everyone in a painful looking ring that would most certainly cause strained muscles when they fought to free themselves. They were so limp when the drow moved them off the carts to tie up then flung them back onto the cart beds again. Anicetus almost got the impression that they were dead and he felt fear for the first time since banishment. His flames had dimmed and turned an ashen sort of color, which drew attention from the drow but nothing more than pointing and murmured conversations.

"You may pass now," the Spyroling said as he walked right by the warlock and through the group to take a position opposite the enormous ent.  
"We may pass now," the warlock parroted back in a mocking tone. He looked over his shoulder and tilted his head to indicate a departure before he moved his mount along. With a sneer the drow kept his one eye on the path ahead of him. The sooner they were done with the Skylanders the sooner they could get onto other things like infiltrating the nearest clan of gargoyles. _That_ was what he had been looking forward to the most since he had learned of the secret Tour held.

By the time the procession had reached the palace the spell on Anicetus had finally worn off. Still much to his horror he found the chains that held him were enchanted and prevented him from slipping out of his armor to shake the shackles. All he could do was shuffle along in an awkward walk and swivel his head around. Great gates of stone and metal stood open, permanently so with the thick growth of the forest that had taken over. The wrought iron fence that separated the palace plaza from the rest of the city was a wall of green now with tiny flowers suited for such muted light. The palace itself was the same alabaster of the trees, indeed it _was_ made of the trees. The whole thing was ripe with druidic magic that had allowed the trees to form the many wings of the building all without damaging their health or growth and still managed to look like something completely separate.

The Ignitorling had never been to the palace before and now more than ever Anicetus felt a sense of deep sorrow and anger so intense he thought his flames must be burning brightly enough to melt his armor and bonds. The spirits were gathered here in the plaza; they had been so absent in other outdoor parts of the city but now he could see them. It was only the soldiers; the common residents were restricted to homes. Yet even then Anicetus knew he had only seen a small fraction of the Fallen of Uzern. The pale blue etheric soldiers lined the courtyard like sentries and sad eyes watched the Skylanders pass. On the other side of the gate Anicetus saw other Skylanders. He recognized one as Sprint and the others must have been Windy's other friends. Nearly instantly Anicetus noticed that their elements almost exactly matched the group he had originally traveled to Uzern with. Anger specifically for the Whirlwindling simmered within the prince's heart. She had planned to coax a reveal of secrets out of the city even though she had stated over and over that hadn't been her plan.

"Leave them here," Sprint said as she strode up to meet the newly arrived drow. "Remove them from the carts and line them up for an audience."  
The warlock with the eye patch ground his teeth, his jaw worked as he glared at the Stealthling with his one good eye. Why Asmodeus insisted on letting his pet's puppets issue orders was beyond the warlock though he did find it rather insulting as his own superiors were not conversing with him.  
"They are heavily sedated," Lunar the Hexling said as she stooped to force open one of Niall's eyes.  
"Polo," the Ninjiniling Mystic called. The little blue grub bounced up to them and the other two Skylanders retreated as he puffed himself up like a balloon then belched.

The noxious gas disturbed the drow and caused more than a few to gag but it seemed to rouse the sedated Skylanders somewhat. Most stirred but a few snapped very quickly into awareness and began to thrash only to learn that moving their arms would pull their legs up further behind them and vice versa.  
It was Wraith that roared in rage and blindly loosed globs of oil from a movement restricted palm. "Filthy dark suckers!" the giant hissed. He turned his molten stare on any drow that dared to look at him.  
"Restrain him!" Ashlina scowled as she bound forward to swat at the giant's face. She hissed at him when he trashed around in an effort to thrust his smoldering flame topped head at her. The dragon lithely leapt atop the giant and purposely dug her claws in as she turned around to breathe shadow lightning in his face. A moment later and the giant once again stilled. His chest heaved as he breathed and his eyes rolled to watch the dragon but otherwise his movements were restrained by a spell. Satisfied that the drow had successfully tamed the giant, Ashlina hopped off and walked back to the rest of her group. Not before she kicked up dirt into Wraith's face though.

"Elo, are you alright?" Seraphina asked. She was painfully contorted with her arms pulled behind and tied to her legs. Unlike the others who were on their sides Seraphina was sitting on her belly and rocking ever so gently. It put a terrible strain on her shoulders and legs and the limbs burned with the pull they had on one another. The eldest princess couldn't turn her head; the pull on her shoulder simply wouldn't allow it. From the corners of her eyes she could see her sister lying motionless, if not for the steady rise and fall of her chest she could have passed for dead.  
"My neck hurts," the Flashwingling said hoarsely. "If I try to stretch it or my tail the chain restricts and chokes me."  
"Help," Windy mewed weakly. She was tied just like Eloryn and the other three dragons. If any of them tried to stretch out their limbs they would pull on the others horribly. Windy couldn't turn her head in any direction and all she could see currently was a motionless Meilyr. The Fizzling laid there with his eyes half closed and mouth hung open, Windy couldn't even tell if he was breathing. On the other side of Meilyr Camo lay in a similar state with his back to her.

"You'll pay for this," Spyro said darkly. He felt humiliated, looped up into a circle with his belly exposed and neck screaming at being held back so forcefully.  
Rather than add to the banter Hex simply tried to conjure up a skull rain. She was forced to relinquish her hold on the magic when she hit Cynder a few times in the belly and took Ginny-Li under the chin. It was no help if she had to beat down her companions to do anything.  
"Pathetic," the eye patch wearing drow grinned as he walked along the line of restrained Skylanders. "I had hoped for more of a challenge. But you went down so terribly easily." He shook his head and made a tsking sound.

"Step away from them, Rhet," a voice said calmly but in a volume that shouldn't have been possible. The eye patched warlock whipped around with a short bow then quickly strode off. Descending the leafy green steps from the palace was a rather peculiar drow. He had goliath lineage but unlike a full blooded goliath he wasn't a bulk of muscle. He stood as tall as a goliath but was very lean and toned with the finely crafted facial features of normal sized drow. His skin was a dark blue and it was either paint or tattoos on his face that gave him white stripes like a tiger. His delicate hands too were similarly marked and perhaps all of him had been done as such under the mockingly white silk warlock robe he wore.  
His hair was slicked back and tied into a ponytail that rested high up on the back of his head. The tip of his brilliant white hair reached the middle of his back. In his right hand was a staff made of the finest obsidian topped with a blood-red garnet shaped like a spiked mace ball.

The puppet Skylanders parted like a curtain before the warlock when he reached the plaza. His gaze swept over the assemblage before settling on the white robe wearing Hexling. "We are cut from the same cloth, I see," he smirked at her. His eyes flicked to Niall momentarily, the orc too was was dressed as a priest but had chosen darker colors to clothe himself in. "I am Asmodeus," he actually _bowed_ before the captive audience. "And you are to be my guests here in my home."  
The residents of Tour bristled, Anicetus tried to step forward with a protest but found the business end of a spear wedged under the arm of his armor. "This is not _your_ city!" the prince retorted hotly.  
Asmodeus gave him a look of indifference, "When I arrived here the city was abandoned and surely you can see by its state that it has been as such for a very long time. So it stands to reason that I am able to claim it as mine."  
"The Queen of Haven rules over this ancient city. It is unoccupied because we hold it as holy and sacred," Seraphina hissed. The Hexling rocked herself back and from the front she very much resembled a cobra about to strike with the fire in her eyes.

Asmodeus raised his hand and with but a word he had used a spell of force to slide the bound Skylanders across the plaza and closer to the drow that stood in front of the spirits. "My pet is unable to get past whatever wall your psionic benefactor put in place so I think I am going to have to approach taming you in a different way."  
He tapped his staff on the paving stones and Anicetus's chains fell away in a loud clatter. The Ignitorling drew his sword swiftly and charged for the much taller drow in a heartbeat. His sword met one of Mystic's Wishblades and the Ninjiniling brought the other under his arms to force them up high and push him backwards. "You are a Skylander!" Anicetus roared at the entranced giant.  
"It seems we have our first match," Asmodeus spoke to the gathered drow. Cheers erupted from them and they beat weapons on shields or the paving stones in celebration.

As the impossibly tall warlock drifted back up the stairs so too did the rest of puppet Skylanders retreat. The match didn't look even in the least; Anicetus only reached Mystic's knees. Well he would if she had any instead of the standard djinn tail. Anicetus looked back on his companions. He saw rage in the eyes of Wraith, Ginny-Li, Cynder and Spyro. Defeat in those of Eloryn and Windy and determination in Hex, Crevan and Niall. Camo, Meilyr and Nivaeus were still heavily drugged and looked to be struggling to hold themselves in a way to prevent their bonds from harming them. Seraphina though watched the warlock carefully, Anicetus could tell she was trying to read their foe and wasn't surprised when his sister looked right at him.  
_Ani_, Seraphina's voice said into her brother's mind. It was weak, almost like a whisper. _I need you,_ her voice kept drifting in and out like she was having trouble holding onto his mind, _time alter to free._  
Distorted, distant and unfocused. As awake and undaunted as she looked her mind was still fogged. Anicetus knew exactly what he needed to do. "Well then, let us test our skill against one another," the Ignitorling said to Mystic. He thrust his sword forward suddenly and managed to catch the djinn by surprise before he leapt up. Using his forced combat with the Ninjiniling as cover the Ignitorling altered time for just his sister.

Everything froze suddenly around Seraphina; it seemed the whole of the world had just stopped. A few massive purple leaves about the size of a giant's hand were held in mid-air and the cheering drow were frozen in poses of shouting and fist shaking. Her brother was hovering in the air following the leap he made to engage the Ninjiniling in armed combat. Closer inspection revealed that she wasn't frozen; things were moving slowly enough to make a snail's pace seem like a speeding projectile.  
Seraphina closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, she was going to have to remain as still as possible for a while. The world hadn't stopped around her; rather she had been sped up so much it appeared to be still. Any movements she made would translate into convulsions in the time everyone else was in and possibly give her away. Until the effects of the sedative wore off she was going to have to be still. For her it would feel like an eternity, for those in the normal flow of time they had probably already seen her get up to make her move.

Anicetus's blade rang against one of the giant's Wishblades. He managed to avoid the slash from the other one and set his feet on it long enough to spring up higher yet again. The Ignitorling's foot hit the djinn's armored shoulder before he lunged to the side and twisted around to grab the giant's forehead and wrench her neck back with his weight and momentum. For just a second he allowed himself to glance at Seraphina, she vibrated steadily as she waited for the sedatives to wear off.  
Mystic groaned when she felt the sharp pain in her neck from the Ignitorling's tug. A moment later and it turned to burning in her scalp when he grabbed her by her long red pony tail and pushed off her back with his feet only to crash back into her a moment later. The giant released the magic that summoned the blade in her right hand and began to grope blindly behind her to find the flaming knight. Her efforts were met with painful swats of his sword. Unless she wanted to use her own blade blindly behind her back she wasn't going to have much luck. Mystic got an idea though and leaned to one side so she could toss her head and in turn swing the Ignitorling around to the front.

"Not good," the Ignitorling hissed as he was swung out wide. In a moment of desperation the prince tried to hack through the red hair he held. His blade was sharp but her hair was so thick. He managed to sever a part of it and was forced to let go to avoid Mystic's grabbing hand. Anicetus was in effect tossed and as he soared backwards he spotted the most promising sight he could have hoped for. Seraphina vanished in the blink of an eye; in another blink his companions' limbs snapped back into comfortable positions and they began to stir.  
"Stop them!" Asmodeus bellowed when the Ignitorling crashed into several spectator drow and the Skylanders scrambled to their feet. Things would have happened quickly if Anicetus hadn't acted again.

"What is happening?" Spyro asked when he tried to charge a drow that had just fired an arrow and realized the arrow was hovering in the air still. He turned a bewildered look to the side and saw everything else in a similar state. The only things that looked normal were his companions.  
"Ani!" Eloryn cried as she was able to take the time to properly stretch and work out her stiffness. "_This_ is his handy work!"  
"Remarkable," Crevan murmured as he got to his feet. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton but he was up at least.  
"You slowed the whole world?" Hex asked the prince in disbelief when he finally managed to separate himself from the drow he had become tangled with.  
"No," the Ignitorling stumbled across the plaza. "I made us faster. Hurry, this also means we are aging."  
Seraphina stood up from where she had kneeled by the forest dragon hybrid and stepped around him as he stirred. "Are we going to come out of this in adult forms?" Camo froze in the act of getting up. He was next to Meilyr and Seraphina, the latter of which who had cleared his head of the sedatives finally. "It will make things harder on our Portal Masters if they have full grown dragons to transport. The portals are too small, none have made any bigger!" He looked to Windy then Cynder and Spyro.  
"You think your fur will turn grey?" Spyro tilted his head to Meilyr and Crevan. The latter Fizzling could only shrug.

"You are not that fast," Seraphina answered. She took the still sleeping Meilyr's head in her hands and concentrated on pushing the toxins through his system to render them useless.  
"I always did dream of waking up next to you," the Fizzling gave her a stupid grin as he sat up.  
"Keep dreaming," Seraphina said with the roll of her eyes as she hoisted him to his feet. Niall pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned slightly, now was not the time.  
"Find the psionic," Wraith said from where he had covered a group of drow in oil then set ablaze. "Clear the area quickly."

Asmodeus wasn't sure _what_ he was looking at. The Ninjiniling turned around in a slow circle utterly perplexed by the loss of her opponent and drow were bursting into flames while others fell over dead from wounds that seemed to suddenly bloom and escalate. The area was wet with puddles of acid that drow stepped into unknowingly. Things were simply appearing without any rhyme or reason.  
_Their psionic_, a voice said in the back of the goliath warlock's head. It was strange being that it would change as it spoke to him. Almost as if it were two different voices speaking at the same time. _You didn't find their psionic._ The voice echoed that time, one part of it was plainly stating the thought while the other seemed to reprimand him for his lack of insight.  
"Find him then, Surpin," Asmodeus growled the name of his pet.  
_I already have_, the voice replied. This time there was no mistaking it. It _was_ two voices. One was angry over the fact and the other smug. _She is before you already._  
"One of the _Skylanders_!?" Asmodeus responded incredulously. "Not possible!"

Nivaeus and Spyro both had the same idea, the duo charged Asmodeus on the stairs to the palace. Enough time had passed for him to now be posed with his arm raised and pointing outward with a furious look on his face. Nivaeus reached the drow first and didn't expect what met him. He slammed into something hard. Rather than simply falling to the stairs the giant found himself flung backwards into a surprised Spyro. The two tumbled down the short length of stairs they had climbed and stopped just at the bottom with groans.  
"Anyone catch the number of that train?" Spyro asked as he stood on shaky knees.  
"Sorry," the giant Swarmling apologized. He rolled his shoulders and stretched out his neck. "I would rather _not_ try that again. Leave him for now."

The tall warlock jumped back when the shield he had around him exploded suddenly. _Something_ had attacked it but he couldn't see anything around him. Frantically he began to cast again to restore it; he couldn't chance being taken by surprise. "Take cover!" he called to the drow, it was no use fighting what they couldn't see. Blurs of motion zipped around and always preceded and followed an attack but moved so quickly there was no room for defense or retaliation. Other shields had popped up around casters and those they could extend the protection to. Some exploded as they were overwhelmed with rapid attacks and others lit up like fireworks as they held off attack after attack. "You!" Asmodeus pointed to the puppet Skylanders, "Stop them!"  
"How?" Steek the Ignitorling asked. "We can't see them any more than you can."  
_There are so few of them_, Surpin's strange double layer voice said into Asmodeus's mind.  
"Show yourself, coward, and help!" the drow roared. His pet was willful, sometimes Asmodeus felt he was playing a dangerous game and sat on the edge of failure precariously.

"Converge in the center of the plaza," Anicetus called. They had dented the drow tremendously, others had traveled beyond the gate to ensure the drow there were taken care of and unable to bring aid. Breaths came out in gasps; the Skylanders had worn themselves out in their rampant death strokes.  
"My arms _ache_ from slinging potions!" Meilyr complained. Crevan too shared his pain; both Fizzlings were rubbing the arms they used most.  
Windy's chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, "My fur is standing on end from all the tempest clouds I set up in the area." She couldn't help it and had to suppress a giggle, both of the Fizzlings were statically charged and their fur stood up straight without them seeming to care. The Whirlwindling's expression changed just as quickly and she looked to the frozen figures of her friends. "How, how do we bring them back to our side?" She nearly faltered as she walked up to the others. Eloryn and Anicetus looked pointedly to Seraphina.  
"She can handle it, don't worry," Nivaeus said softly. "Once the drow are taken care of she can restore them."  
"I hope so," Windy sighed in a forlorn manner.  
"Seraphina can, I have seen it before," Niall nodded.

"You know, if Cali dug up some heroic challenges kinda like this I think we might have long ago pushed past the limits Kaos put on us," Spyro said after taking a large breath.  
"Or gotten too overconfident," Cynder sighed. "We had nothing to challenge us. It was way too easy." She glanced up at the Ignitorling, "Although in this case I'm not complaining about how easy it is."  
"Not anymore," Camo cringed when finally the sounds of their surroundings caught up to them. Screams of pain, shouts of confusion and all manner of chaos broke out as the Skylanders were returned to a normal flow of time.

"You!" Asmodeus howled and pointed furiously at Seraphina. "You were the first to vanish then _this_ follows. You started it all!" He threw a spell at her that never landed, the shield the princess had erected mirrored the attack right back at the much taller drow. Niall cast his trip wire at the same time for insurance. Asmodeus found himself unable to move and the attacks hit him easily. The dark skinned drow stared in surprise at the princess that stared back at him equally perplexed. "Let me go!" Asmodeus demanded. When the priestess looked to her companions he realized it hadn't been her doing. "Release me at once!" he repeated to everyone present.

"No," a deep voice rumbled as a massive shape landed hard beside him. A hulking figure colored like ashy bark righted himself and folded heavy leathery wings. He was slightly taller than the goliath hybrid next to him and filled out with broad shoulders and thick arms. A square face much like a lion's watched the area with black eyes broken only by two thin slivers of red in each. A black fin-like ridge ran from his forehead to the the back of his head, thick quills hung from the sides of his head down to his shoulders, the gargoyle psionic had arrived. It became apparent quickly that the gargoyle was undead, the gaping hole in his chest yawned a blackness so deep it almost seemed to swallow all the light around him. A red spark throbbed within the void, pulsating almost like a heart but it did nothing to illuminate the blackness around it despite the fact it glowed a baleful shade.

"Surpin!" Nivaeus, Ginny-Li and Wraith exclaimed at once. They knew him all too well, the Alpha male of the Shadow Clan located nearest their own clan. But why was he in Uzern and so far from home?  
"It's strange how even though physically you are different you still smell the same." Surpin grinned, his fangs shone white and bright against his ashen hide. The undead gargoyle bowed deeply before the Skylanders. "You can thank me later for keeping the drow off your case. We have business to discuss."  
"We have _nothing_ to discuss with you," Ginny-Li told him as she folded her arms across her chest in defiance. The hulking undead gargoyle simply grinned at her.

"Who is he?" Spyro demanded of Anicetus. The Ignitorling was the closed one to him and a plausible font of information.  
"Bad news," Eloryn growled. "Watch the shadows, if he brought any of his clan they will emerge from them for an ambush."  
"A clan leader," Anicetus finally replied. "Head of one branch of the Shadow Clan. They are widespread across Tour and believe their race is supreme. You are either one of them or a slave, there is nothing else. These drow were played."  
"Is he the psionic or necromancer? He is obviously a lich," Hex questioned. Lichs made her skin crawl, powerful undead who could control lesser undead and drain the life from the living to increase their power.  
"I am both," Surpin replied simply. "The spirits of this city are docile because of me," he tightened one of his large hands into a fist. "Your fellow Skylanders obey me," he extended his other hand out to the group that had moved in behind the infiltrators. "And these silly drow thought to use me to overthrow Kaos. Simpletons to think they had me under their control," he laughed at Asmodeus still held by invisible forces at his side. "You have with you the only four individuals I truly see as worthy adversaries," he grinned as he looked between the three Reves then Nivaeus. "Though two are impotent." Again there was that tinge of a double voice.

The enemy gargoyle stared down the smaller and rather ragged looking Hexling in silence. No one made a move even with the tension in the air; it was as if the psionics were sizing one another up. Seraphina stood up straighter about the same time Surpin did; they seemed to have sensed something. As one they both looked up into the canopy overhead. The Hexling was the first to look back down and she did so with a wide grin. "_Only_ four?" she asked in a sultry tone. Whatever the two psionics were talking about was a mystery to the others in the area. They hadn't seen nor heard a thing yet.  
Surpin's wings snapped open as he leaned forward and roared at the Hexling. "You think the addition of other psionics will change a thing? I _have_ what I wanted. The whereabouts of every clan of gargoyle that is not Shadow are known to a few of my puppets not here in Uzern. I have already sent them with their knowledge to spread the word. Kaos will learn of the gargoyles and their abilities. He will come to Tour in force to claim the power he needs to destroy the Skylanders!"  
"You have damned yourself, Surpin!" Wraith bellowed. The fire golem leaned back and roared loudly just as the other gargoyles dropped in from the canopy on swooping wings to take by surprise the drow standing back in confusion over the events. "Kaos will find you too!"

Surpin laughed and the sound was joined by another that continued a little after he had quit. "We are more resilient than that. Besides," he grinned darkly, "Your efforts when combined with those of the Skylanders and Tour's armies will ensure we are safe. You and Kaos will wipe one another out and leave us to take control in the aftermath." The gargoyle drew himself up tall and began to walk backwards up the stairs.  
"No! We cannot let him!" Seraphina yelled as she took off after the gargoyle.  
The Skylanders held under Surpin's sway attacked without provocation and prevented anyone else from coming to her aid.  
"What are you doing, Sprint, it's me!" Windy wailed as she slipped to the side to avoid her friend's blades. She had to backpedal quickly when Sprint came at her again with a sweeping slash followed by a roundhouse kick. "Sprint!" Windy cried in disbelief. "I don't want to fight you!"  
"You do or you die!" Ginny-Li yelled in exaggeration as she took Timber by one of the wooden protrusions on his head that resembled horns. She wrenched the ent's head to the side and hit him hard in the back of the head with the pummel of her blade. The ent wouldn't be easy; his thick bark hide acted as a dampener. Ginny-Li knew she was in for a battle.

"Typical," Hex snorted at the copy of her in leather, "The reason I find so many of my copies appalling." Hex raised her hand to stop the phantom orbs Lunar had sent at her. "Don't you understand how your skills work?" she grumbled. Hex wasted no time and redirected the attack back at Lunar and was satisfied when it landed, the Hexling didn't even try to copy what she had done. "I certainly hope your dimwit is due to the psionic control," she muttered. Hex wasn't given time to gloat, a flaming sword from the rival Ignitorling slashed down next to her and singed her arm. The undead elf cried out in pain and surprise as she jerked away and looked at her ruined gauntlet.  
"Heads up!" Spyro called as he swooped over Hex's head and spat out bolts of electricity. With a little manipulation of the charge the purple dragon was able to successfully cage the Ignitorling and left Hex free to take care of her copy.

Satisfied that Hex could hold her own the dragon turned to other matters. Niall found himself pressed by the Ninjiniling when she resorted to bottle rockets. Their erratic movements were hard to predict and the Voodoodling was stuck in defense mode.  
"Two can play that game," Spyro muttered. He wheeled around and opened his jaws to charge the magic needed for his own "missile" attack. The dragon circled once, twice and yet again before the charge was complete and he set it loose on the rival Ninjiniling. Midway through its trajectory the green orb exploded into four separate shards of rock that all hit their target.  
The giant was dazed as she popped out of her now shattered bottle. The magic surrounding it would reform the bottle but for now she couldn't retreat to the shards. Niall set two trip wires, one right on the giant before she could move and the other behind her in hopes that would be where she tried to retreat. It wasn't but Niall was able to set another that did drive her into it.

"Need a hand?" Cynder asked as she flew by Crevan and the Wrecking Balling Polo. She had seen the little blue grub eat no less than three of Crevan's potions and the worst it ever did was make him belch up fire or an acidic mist that mysteriously didn't harm the grub. The dragon noticed something was wrong with the other Skylander's tongue but seeing as how it didn't stop him from eating Crevan's potions she didn't give it any mind.  
"Flank him!" Crevan yelled. He kept throwing potions just to distract the grub. Without making it obvious he was doing so Crevan watched Cynder circle around and cringed when she used her poison breath on the little grub. The sickness that followed made Crevan turn and run, he didn't want anything to do with it.

"Sorry," Cynder murmured as she swooped down and grabbed the gremlin in her front claws. She moved him out of the area to join Anicetus in dealing with Ashlina the Cynderling.  
"Disgustingly effective," Crevan replied while glancing back. At least Polo was so distracted by illness that he couldn't see to attack anyone else. "Take this," Crevan said as Cynder set him down. He rummaged through his pack and handed her a flask. "Give it to him to stop the poison from worsening. He will still be out of commission though."  
Cynder nodded and zipped off to do it, she would stay with the grub for a while to make sure he didn't trouble anyone before she returned to deal with Ashlina.

"So you think you're hot stuff huh?"  
Spyro hadn't even seen it coming; he had been too busy spitting ice balls at the newly freed Steek the Ignitorling. The dragon stifled a howl of pain when his copy slammed into him with the force of a freight train. Spyro hit the upper story on one of the buildings outside the palace and broke through the wall with a crash and pop of vines. Spyro groaned as he pulled himself to his feet, he hardly had time to react when Scorch barged into the hole Spyro had made and spat out a series of fireballs at him. "Yeah, Hex is right. There _is_ something insulting about being ambushed by yourself," Spyro growled after setting up a small wall of ice to hold the fire at bay.  
"How the…?" the copy blinked in surprise. "I've gone down the blitz path and burner path after multiple resets. I've never even _seen_ elements other than fire!" Scorch was familiar with the magic of the upgrade fairies as they had been affectionately named and never had he seen anything like Spyro's abilities. After the curse fairy magic was the only way a Skylander could learn new abilities attuned to their alignment with the elements and skills shared with the original Core. Spyro though seemed to have more somehow.

"Nothing beats the original," Spyro promised before he popped up over the barrier and snapped his head forward for a breath of ice replete with shards.  
Pelted and peppered with ice Scorch was forced to raise a wing for protection and in his attempt to escape the dragon got his foot tangled in a loose vine and slipped to land hard on his belly. The vine around his foot froze and the frost crept up onto his leg to hold it in place.  
Spyro wrinkled his nose as he carefully froze the Spyroling's jaws shut while still leaving the other purple dragon's nostrils free. "Sorry, um, me, but you can't be running around causing trouble right now. We'll fix you up, I promise," Spyro told him before he made sure the other dragon was stuck in place.

Eloryn and Wraith found their skills better suited for dealing with the drow that managed to get past the gargoyles. Seraphina must have exchanged information with them for they didn't attack the puppet Skylanders.  
"Coming your way!" Wraith bellowed as he grabbed a drow by the collar and slammed him into the ground. The dark elf bounced once and slid to a stop near Eloryn's feet.  
The Flashwingling raked the prone figure with her claws as she jumped off him to slam into another drow that thought he could charge the two Skylanders in surprise. "Not so fast!" she hissed as she let loose a barrage of crystal shards. The drow jerked with each one and his forward momentum eventually turned into a stagger before he fell.  
"Help the others when you find time," Wraith said as he moved in next to the Flashwingling.

Two shadow dashes used against one another made for interesting results. Cynder smirked to herself as she bucked her copy up and off her back. She didn't get the chance to show Ashlina how to apply finesse to her attacks when Camo bowled the copy over with a snarl and bound her instantly in vines.  
"Well then," Anicetus huffed as he sheathed his sword and looked to Crevan. The Fizzling could only shrug.

"Incapacitate them quickly!" the green, leafy dragon said with the swishing of his tail. "We can't afford to let the fruit rot on the vine." It was an odd allegory but the others got it at least.  
"Get that Wrecking Balling out of Meilyr's way!" Cynder called as she raced over to help the Fizzling. Crevan's potion must have healed him too much; he didn't seem sick at all anymore. The little blue grub was very apt at blocking the gremlin's use of potions without devouring them during his second bought with a Pop Fizzling. Cynder skid to a stop when the giant Nivaeus did the unexpected and punted the other Skylander right into the back of Timber's head. Ginny-Li didn't waste a moment and forced Timber's arms to reach behind him as much as possible with the knot of wood on his back.  
"Like peas in a pod," Camo grinned once he had wrapped Timber and Polo in vines.

"Watch yourself!" Crevan gasped as he stepped in to grab Sprint by the wrists. The Stealthling thrashed and managed to get a foot up against the gremlin's chest. He grunted but refused to let go.  
"Oh, forgive me!" Windy cringed with tightly closed eyes before she used a harmful blast from her horn on her oldest friend. It broke her heart to hear Sprint cry out in pain then Crevan grunt as he used the opportunity to subdue her.  
"Go help Hex," Crevan said suddenly. "I think she is toying with your friend now. We do not have time for that."  
"We can handle her from here," Anicetus said as he joined Crevan in restraining Sprint.  
Windy turned to find the two figures wearing the same face; it looked like Crevan was right. Hex blocked anything Lunar threw at her and used only enough force to break through the Hexling's defenses but not stun her. "Can this day get any more wonk?" the unicorn and dragon hybrid asked sadly.

When Surpin had turned to flee he set loose the drow warlock. It was a delay tactic that had worked. Seraphina found herself hung up on the warlock that had attacked her out of fear that she would do away with him before she went after the gargoyle. Seraphina was content to completely ignore him but the warlock wouldn't have it.  
"You are wasting my time!" the princess snapped at the much taller warlock when he had managed to get in closer in an attempt to crack his staff against her throat. The Hexling grabbed it to prevent the hit but the unfortunate side effect was his height and strength allowed him to lift her up off the ground and left her dangling from his staff like she was doing a pull-up. Seraphina kicked out and much to her dismay found the eternal effect of being a Hexling meant the bottom of her foot never actually connected with him, the purple mist was there to keep it just inches away from him.

"I had one psionic under my thumb, it should not be hard to take you as well," the warlock snarled. He grabbed the foot Seraphina had tried to kick him with and was able to keep her suspended with his other arm while she thrashed and tried to remove his hand from her leg. "Why have you not used your psionics?" he demanded as he pulled her leg out to the side.  
Seraphina yelped, her attention was divided truth be told. She was trying desperately to keep Surpin from leaving the area and the other psionic was putting up quite the fight. Asmodeus wasn't her focus even though physically he was the most dangerous to her. She wanted Surpin; if she couldn't get to him then she was going to bring the allied gargoyle psionics down on him. "You are not my target. I want the gargoyle!" Seraphina yelled at him. She squealed in pain when he pulled on her leg harder, if she kept her death grip on his staff he would dislocate her hip. If she let go she would be at his mercy. Seraphina had no choice, she divided her attention long enough to force Asmodeus to let her go. She hit the large warlock across the face with psionic energy and spun him around as she stumbled down the steps.

"I got you," Meilyr said as he stepped up to catch the tumbling Hexling. Cynder leapt over their heads with her banshee scream to render the warlock impotent before she head butt him furiously in the chest with a leap.  
"Can you help Cynder?" Seraphina asked Meilyr as she stood on her own. "Surpin has not stopped assaulting me since he set the warlock on me. I cannot afford to have my attention divided for long."  
"I've got Cynder, you watch Seraphina," Spyro said as he charged by.  
"Very well," Seraphina nodded to Meilyr. She moved away from the palace steps to one of the other buildings before she put her back against it and closed her eyes.  
"You had better be careful," Meilyr murmured under his breath. "I _hate_ it when you do that."

Seraphina vaguely heard Meilyr's warning. She had already sent her consciousness to meet with Surpin's in a battle field of the mind. Surpin had initiated it so the landscape was his choosing. The Hexling found herself standing in the middle of a fog covered swamp with twisted tree roots sticking up out of the marshy ground that gave the illusion of the trees trying to stand up and walk. Hot, humid air assaulted her and the smell of plant decay was thick. No sun was present here, the dark clouds roiled overhead with a promise of something other than rain in their red-lined borders. Even though the dark clouds were boiling there was no wind and no thunder present.  
The elven psionic took some solace in the fact she could appear however she wished in this plane of existence and had resumed her normal eirian elf form with golden brown skin and blonde hair. "Show yourselves," Seraphina said in a voice she willed to be painfully loud. The trees quaked and their branches rattled with the force.

Laughter came from two distinct directions and in two separate voices.  
"She thinks herself smart for realizing we came together," one hissed like a snake to the other.  
The other voice answered, this one obviously Surpin's deep tone, "One of the most powerful psionics outside of the gargoyles. But her other half is not present, she is of no threat to us."  
Seraphina turned slightly as Surpin took shape ankle deep in the murky water. Like her he chose a different form, he looked alive now with chocolate brown skin and normal eyes as well as a distinct lack of a hole in his chest. To Seraphina's left was the other psionic, he decided to remain shadowy in form and could have been any number of creatures with large folded wings and eyes that burned like hot coals.  
"Bane," the elven psionic said simply.  
"Shalu'Bane," he hissed hoarsely at her, "You have not earned the respect required to be allowed to shorten my name! You are not gargoyle, you are not worthy of respect!"  
"I am not here for idle chatter," Seraphina said as she held her arms out and levitated off the soggy ground. It was a dangerous game she played and she knew it, she was stronger than either one of them but with their combined will it was a whole other story. _Oh Kaelin,_ she thought to herself, _I need you now._


	27. Liberation of Uzern

**Landscapes**

The palace plaza of Uzern had been transformed; it was the most secure section of the city so far with a large gathering of gargoyles both outside and inside the palace hunting for every last drow. It was obvious the two enemy gargoyles that had set everything in motion had retreated, the spirits were roaming the streets freely now and helped the gargoyles root out any drow that attempted to hide. Seraphina and Anicetus had left the mindscape and returned to Uzern; both looked terribly weary.

"The web of compulsion that was laid on their minds is anchored deep and drawn tight. It is nearly impenetrable I've been told." Wraith sat down heavily next to Seraphina, the Hexling was tired from her encounter with both Surpin and Shalu'Bane. Wraith always had admired her for her willpower, it was an honor to work with her. "The psionics are at a loss on how to free the Skylanders. But they will keep trying, failure is not permissible."  
The elven psionic rubbed at her eyes and leaned back on Eloryn's chest, for once the dragon didn't complain about someone using her for support. "How long until the army has secured the city?" The question wasn't related to the topic exactly but it was important to the Hexling. Seraphina rest her head in her hands, if she was this tired hopefully that meant Surpin was as well and there was a chance to find him somewhere in the forest beyond the city. She doubted it but that didn't stop her from entertaining ideas about bringing him to justice. What were he and Shalu'Bane thinking by alerting Kaos to the presence of the gargoyle psionics?

"How long?" Wraith repeated, "Shouldn't be long. With the gargoyles and other Skylanders working to subdue the drow we should see armored elves any moment now."  
"Get Windy to sit down and relax," Seraphina sighed. She had seen the Whirlwindling do nothing but pace around the lot of her friends where they sat in a trance amid a group of gargoyle psionics. The gargoyles themselves were under the watchful eyes of Hex and Camo.  
"Good luck," Eloryn snorted from behind her sister. "She cannot seem to leave the psionics alone and has tried to shake them for answers while they are busing delving into the minds of her friends."  
"She will only succeed in slowing their efforts," Seraphina replied. Light, her eyes burned and felt heavy. She just wanted to sleep but knew it wasn't over yet.  
"Rest, Soothsayer," Wraith said with a gentleness he normally didn't possess. The giant laid an enormous hand on the Hexling's shoulder. "You drove the enemy psionics away and without them the drow are less inclined to confront us. It is safe to let sleep take you. I have a feeling you will be needed to set Windy's companions free."

"Let me get up," Eloryn prompted her sister. "Maybe Crevan or Meilyr has something to help you."  
Seraphina leaned forward so the Flashwingling could move. "I do not want to rely upon potions. I will be even more worn out when all is said and done."  
"The sooner we find closure the sooner you can rest. I know you, Sera," Eloryn said as she glanced over her shoulder, "you will not allow yourself to rest until those poor Skylanders are free. Let me do what I can to get you help." She turned away in a brisk walk after Seraphina gave her the barest of nods.  
"You can't blame yourself," Wraith told her suddenly. "It's not your fault they came back to the city without your knowing."  
Seraphina tilted her head slightly to look at the Hot Headling with one eye, "Without me none of them would have been here. Without that introduction we might not have found the drow out before it was too late." The undead elf sighed and slouched down further. "Good and bad are bundled together because of my choice."

Wraith looked up as Anicetus and Niall stepped beside him quietly. "Think only of the fact we found the drow before they could make their move."  
"There is no need to fight sleep, Princess. We will make sure nothing surprises us. Rest now, you have done your part," Niall suggested.  
"I know _I_ could use a nap," Anicetus sighed. "At least my headache was taken care of."  
Seraphina shook her head and rose to her feet as Eloryn returned with both of the Fizzlings. "I cannot, I promised Queen Elanniah I would see this through and it is not over."

"I have something for stamina," Crevan offered. He handed a milky purple potion to the Hexling. "The strongest I have. I do not know how many it will take to restore you as if you had rested through the night but you can only take two. The side effects are doubled with each one you take. As a Skylander when the potion runs out you will be sent back to Earth. For normal persons, well, they would find themselves waking up a day or two later."  
Seraphina took the bottle, uncorked it and drank it. Her eyes bulged out and she seemed to struggle to finish it. She coughed a few times and wound up with her hands propped on her knees. "Are you sure the side effect is not the taste?" the Hexling croaked before another fit of coughs. "That was _rancid_!"  
"Sorry," Crevan said sheepishly as he took the vial from her. He compressed the glass object between his hands and it simply vanished without shards or any trace. "Well?"

"Give it a moment," the princess sighed as she righted herself. She could feel it working and began to feel more refreshed steadily. Seraphina watched Windy's head perk up before she came racing over towards the group. Niall purposely put himself in front of the Hexling as Crevan and Meilyr turned to slow the Whirlwindling's run.  
"They said you're the only one that can help my friends!" Windy spoke so quickly half of her words were lost. "Please!" she begged as she craned her neck to see around the two Fizzlings.  
Seraphina put a hand on Niall's shoulder and gently moved him to the side. "Are you ready to go?"  
Windy blinked at her in confusion, "What? Go where?"  
The Hexling pointed back to the group of subdued Skylanders, "To help them. That is what you are asking me, is it not?"

"I don't," Windy pranced around when Meilyr and Crevan stepped away. "I don't understand. Where do we have to go?"  
Eloryn was glad she was behind Windy, she had to work hard to keep the grin off her face and giggle in her throat. She coughed to cover it and took the liberty to back up and out of the area. Oh was Windy in for an adventure. Wraith turned to follow her, the giant was equally amused and engaged the Flashwingling in conversation quietly.  
"Do you think it wise, Sera?" Meilyr looked at Windy skeptically.

"Do me a favor first, Windy. Go speak to Nivaeus the Swarmling, tell him I am bringing you with me. Have him prepare you."  
"Prepare for what?" Windy demanded with her ears drooping. "_Where_ are we going?"  
Seraphina raised her hands in a soothing gesture, "Please, ask Nivaeus. He can walk you through everything. I wish to bring one other with me and I need to speak with him about it."  
Windy looked back to her friends and then Nivaeus as he stood conversing with the gargoyle psionics. "Okay," she said skeptically before she turned with just as much reluctance.

"Go with you, as in _here_?" Camo asked as he tapped a claw alongside his head.  
"Precisely," Seraphina said with a nod.  
The leafy dragon hybrid glanced over to Hex then back to the ragged looking Hexling, "Why me, why not one of the psionics?"  
"Because you are a familiar face for those Skylanders, just like Windy. If the compulsion that holds them is as strong as the gargoyles said then even alone my efforts are for naught. I need you and Windy to talk with the others, break through to them so I can unravel the netting that has ensnared them."

"Go Camo," Hex said with a nod, "When else are you going to be presented with such an opportunity? I will admit to being envious at your luck."  
"But I am just a tiny little sapling," Camo said in a voice that cracked. "I don't know what to do!"  
"Leave the details to me," Seraphina raised a hand and closed her eyes. "It will be a familiar experience and not as strange as you seem to believe."  
"Go, I will inform Spyro and Cynder when they return," Hex said. "Get those Skylanders back on our side where they belong."  
Camo deflated in defeat. "Alright, I go. What do I expect?"  
"Nothing more than what you already saw. They will try to attack. We help one at a time to make it easier on us."

"Sprint first," Windy nodded when she was joined by Camo and Seraphina. "Sprint gets set free first. Then Timber," she looked to the ent that still gave his captors grief. "He is hard-headed."  
"Ironwood," Camo nodded in agreement. "He is a danger to himself and all like that."  
"Make yourselves comfortable," Seraphina waved at the duo now standing near Sprint. "Give me a moment," she said over her shoulder before she went to speak with a gargoyle.  
"I'm nervous, Camo," Windy admitted.  
"I shake like a leaf!" he said with wide eyes. "I want to wilt away." Camo snorted and shook his head. "We are Skylanders. We can do this."  
"Yeah," Windy sat down and looked from Sprint to Lunar and the rest of her friends. "We have to. I can't tell Krystal I lost them. I'm already in trouble for bringing them here in the first place. I have to get them out. I just have to."  
Camo fell silent after that, all he could think about was the black tendrils of energy that held their figures back on Earth. Krystal must be sitting next to them in the portal room waiting anxiously for news. The plant hybrid looked to Windy, she was so intent on studying their friends that she seemed so far removed from everything. Camo closed his eyes, he would bring the news to Krystal. Bad or good, Windy would have to return to Haven alone to meet with the Queen.

"As it is their first time I want someone standing by to pull them out at the first sign of trouble," Seraphina glanced back towards Windy and Camo. "I will do what I can from within but I need a spotter out here to bring them back in the event they accept things as fact."  
"I will watch them," the red skinned gargoyle that resembled an elf with wings and a tail said with a thump of a fist to her chest. "It is an honor to serve you Soothsayer."  
Again there was that title of respect. "Thank you," Seraphina thumped her chest in return as per gargoyle custom. "I do not know how long this will take or if you will need to reassure the other Skylanders when they arrive. I will work as quickly as safely possible." Seraphina was surprised when the gargoyle offered her hand for a shake in the elven fashion.  
"I look forward to seeing what you can do. I have heard tales from the Marble Clan and am eager to see the truth in them."

"Are you ready?"  
Windy had already sat down next to Sprint and had just moved a stray lock of hair out of her friend's face when the Hexling returned. She looked up and gave Seraphina a weak smile. "Yeah, I guess so." She looked back to Hex who had earlier joined her and Camo near the bound individuals. "Is Hex joining us?"  
"No," the sorceress answered before Seraphina could, "This is not my battle. I understand this and accept it." She gave Seraphina a nod as she drifted back from the group.  
"What do we do?" Camo asked as he more or less collapsed on the paving stones next to Sprint.  
"Sit down or lie down, whichever you find most comfortable and relax. Windy you take one of Camo's paws in your own and give me your other." Seraphina placed one hand on Sprint's head after she had Windy's paw. "Camo, place your free paw somewhere on Sprint. Good. Remember to breathe." The contact wasn't needed but Seraphina had found it seemed to help the non-psionics adjust better. "Close your eyes and trust me. Let me guide you."

Windy felt a sensation similar to movement and only shut her eyes tighter. Her heart skipped a beat, she really didn't know what to think.  
"Open your eyes," Seraphina said softly.  
When Windy did she saw Camo looking at her with the largest grin on his face she had ever seen. Windy looked past him to Seraphina. She knew the golden skinned and haired elf was Seraphina because of the paintings she had seen before and the magic in the temple of Uzern during her first visit. The eirian before her was dressed in a soft lavender version of the white and gold thigh-length robe with trousers Windy was used to seeing her in and she carried an ivory staff topped with a rough cut amethyst gem. She no longer hovered like Hex but had her feet planted firmly on the ground. Only after Windy had confirmed she was in the company of Seraphina and Camo did she chance looking around.

The trio stood in a large room full of rows of seats, beautiful stained glass windows depicting acts of kindness, giving and community. An alter was in the front of the room flanked with large braziers topped with glowing crystals rather than fire and behind it all was a great statue of an elf with six wings. There was no mistaking it, the location was a temple. The three of them stood in the back behind the pews and in an area that lead to other doors and halls along the far walls.

"Meir Valan's Temple of Light," Seraphina confirmed the thought with her statement. "That statue," she pointed towards the enormous stone carving complete with golden wings tipped in crimson, "Is the avatar my people choose to represent the Light. All races see this personification in their own way. Gillmen will represent the Light as one of their own and dragons picture the most majestic of their race. Here you can look like whatever you want." Seraphina paused for a moment and when Windy remained as she was the Hexling understood she already looked how she wanted to. "I brought you here first because this is a location of my choosing. It is neutral ground and where I will give you a crash course, so to speak. Understand that you do not have to accept _anything_ that happens to you. If you refuse to let it affect you then it cannot harm you." It was a little more complicated than that of course but all Seraphina needed them to do was accept that as fact and they would fight as hard as needed on their own. Since they were visiting the mind of another non-psionic it would be much easier to shrug off anything Sprint tried to force on them. Seraphina wouldn't dare think of brining a non-psionic into a mental battle with a psionic.

"Let me show you this, Camo would you help me in the first demonstration?"  
"Yeah," he nodded and stepped towards Seraphina. "What do I expect?"  
"I am going to restrain you, plain and simple. You are to try and get out of the restraints by _believing_ that they cannot hold you. Not that you can loosen them enough to wiggle out." She smirked at the confused look Camo gave her. "They are not real, Camo," she explained. "By believing that you can loosen them enough to wiggle out you accept them as real. That is dangerous, simply deny them the ability to hold you and they will dissolve like fog." She hadn't even warned him, the next moment Camo was on his side bound just like the drow had restrained him with his front legs tied to his neck and his back to his tail with neck and tail tied together as well. Discomfort was all he could think about and that made him believe the bonds were real.

Seraphina held her hand up when Windy gasped and tried to advance on Camo. "Let him try, Windy. I chose a situation to illustrate how real your mind can make it. Let him show his will power is stronger." In a real battle a psionic would monitor the bonds to reinforce them and keep them in place. Seraphina set them and left them be, she had to build up confidence in them and she couldn't do that by giving it her all.  
Camo struggled to do as Seraphina had told him but it was harder than it sounded. He was uncomfortable, in pain even and no matter how he moved the ropes chafed. How could he pass them off as nothing if they felt so awful?  
"Can't I just give him a little help?" Windy asked.  
Seraphina bowed her head and closed her eyes, she didn't have time to run through methods of protection. If they wore themselves out on the training then the battles that laid ahead would be tougher. "Help him, Windy." She would just have to step in and offer aid herself and hope she could give them enough of an edge to get through anything Sprint's subconscious threw at them.

Windy chewed through the rope that held Camo's neck to his tail and instantly relieved a lot of pressure on the dragon. He shook his head and grunted when the ropes pulled on his front legs, at least it wasn't as bad as when he had been tied into a donut. There was just enough space between his front paws for Camo to gnaw through the ropes then turn to the ones on his feet. The hybrid climbed back to his feet and stretched out the stiffness. "Um, this is harder than a coconut shell," he said.  
Seraphina gave him a smile, "I will watch over you. Handle things as you are comfortable with and we will be fine. I will not put you through the same Windy. I apologize for putting you through such discomfort. I will make sure you are not put through anything else like that. When you are ready open the door." She pointed towards the one nearest them that should lead out onto the streets of Meir Valan. Windy knew it wouldn't and felt apprehension over where it would lead.

Morning Dew stood proud and tall as she and the Skylanders made their way deeper into the city of Uzern. She walked alongside Commander Roghallach just ahead of the Skylanders. The city appeared to be under control now with gargoyles and eirian patrolling the streets and nodding respectfully to the group of Skylanders.  
"It is amazingly easy with so many allies," Flameslinger commented. "I am bored I think."  
"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Stealth sighed. "You won, celebrate! No need to drag something out. Quick, easy and simple. The best way to go." She thumped the edge of one hand into the palm of the other as she spoke.  
"The lassie has a point, lad. See this as the start of something else, ye heard the news Morning Dew shared with us about the word on psionics gettin' out, right?"

"Get off the bird, Jet," Slam Bam rolled his eyes. The sky baron seemed content to continue riding the blue and green orniteryx right through the city. "There's no way you're gonna be able to keep it. Besides I think Rider feels like yer steppin' on his toes."  
"My toes are fine," the mounted elf said as he looked to his armor clad feet in Fright's stirrups. Sonic Boom and Sunburn exchanged grins and eye rolls, they could never tell if Rider was being serious or goofing off. He could deadpan _anything_ he said no matter how ridiculous it was.  
"Ah know that. Let me enjoy it while Ah can. Beastie isna as bad as his rep states." Jet-Vac cooed as he scratched the orniteryx on the neck. His temporary mount chattered happily and walked as if he wanted to raise a foot to thump like a dog would.  
Pop Fizz along with Trigger Happy in one of their random bouts of insanity decided it would be a fun game to try to roll one another in front of the orniteryx while the bird strode along. All it took was two steps and the war bird had passed them. Trigger Happy had been rolling the larger blue gremlin and threw his arms up in defeat when Jet-Vac gave him a funny look from the back of the orniteryx.  
"Aw," Pop Fizz grunted as he came to a stop on his back and stared up into the purple canopy way above.  
"If that pack were any bigger you would be bent in half just to reach the street," Double Trouble commented as he floated by without looking at the gremlin.

"Is that the palace?" Whirlwind asked while she spread her powder blue and white wings to extend her jump higher to see over the buildings. "It is!" she gasped with widened eyes, "I saw the others! Hurry, hurry!" she insisted. Whirlwind let her excitement move her feet and she barreled past Morning Dew and Roghallach.  
The elven commander turned around in surprise to make sure he wasn't going to get stampeded. He tilted his head to the side before Morning Dew nodded and they moved to the side to let the Skylanders run ahead. Well, almost all of them. Wham-Shell and Drobot hung back and at least made a show of listening to Stump Smash mutter about how fast mammals, reptiles, avians and amphibians lived.  
"Only Arbo and Tree Rex appreciate moving at a slow and steady pace, not even Zook or Shroomboom understand. And Zook is the first of his people to decide there's more ta life than standin' around in the dirt all the time!" Stump Smash shook his head. He didn't realize how that sounded to first mention how fast others lived then to state the very sedentary lifestyle of Zook's people as being too slow for Stump Smash himself.

"Race ya, laddie!" Jet-Vac said happily to Rider as the others followed Whirlwind's example.  
"Laddie?" the undead elf scoffed, "Why I'm older than you!"  
"Aye, who cares?" Jet-Vac held up the reins and gave Rider a hopeful look.  
"You keep that _thing_ away from our friends and allies and I accept." Rider had no doubts who would win, it was hardly a fair race. Jet-Vac's bird was larger and meaner but Fright was a speedy ostrich and had better maneuverability.  
"That Ah can do," Jet chuckled. He flapped the reins and his blue and green bird took off in a dash.  
"Let him have a head start," Rider said to Fright when he tried to lurch forward. "He is an inexperienced rider anyway."

"I must admit, Commander Roghallach, it has been an honor working with you. And with you, my dear Morning Dew," Wham-Shell said with a bow to the two.  
"Your companions are too light-hearted this soon after battle," the gargoyle said.  
"A life without humor is a poor life indeed," Wham-Shell said in their defense. "They are good folk," he nodded.  
"Hey I'm all for laughin' and carryin' on but they _are_ makin' us look immature," Stump Smash grumbled.  
Roghallach shook his head, "A dose of levity is fine. Do not involve the elves in your antics and you will be alright."

No one noticed Drobot had slowed to hang back. The tech dragon seemed distracted by something as he raised a paw to his helmet to click something on the side of his head.  
"Repeat transmission, my apologies for having the comlink silenced."  
"Man, Dro, what's the point in having us up here if you aren't going to pay attention to our status updates?" a female voice grumbled at the dragon.  
"Forgive me Sprocket," Drobot said in his normal machine voice. "I was engaged in combat and couldn't afford distractions."  
"Yeah well we found some of the fleeing drow. Took out those we spotted but others could have slipped by us. There's only so much ground we can cover and _someone_ still doesn't understand how to fly an Arkeyan copter!"  
"You're just jealous that I do it better than you," Flynn's all too familiar voice drifted through the link.

"Anyway," Sprocket stressed, "we're in a holding pattern above the city. This flying horse thing won't let us descend. Is there anything you can do to remedy it?"  
"I am in the company of one of the two commanders overseeing the elven movement. Allow me the opportunity to bring your situation to light and communication can be passed to the gargoyles."  
"A-ha!" a third voice cackled on Sprocket's end. "See, I _told_ you that's what that creature was!"  
"Yes, your deductive skills are fascinating, Roaster." Sprocket's tone let Drobot visualize her rolling her eyes in exasperation. Ghost Roaster only cackled hysterically like usual.  
"Transmission end," Drobot droned before he clicked the link off. Perhaps it was rather sudden of him and if he knew Sprocket she was sputtering over the forced radio silence. But if she wanted results then she had to let him work. The armored dragon gave a start when he realized how far behind the others he had fallen and broke into a trot to catch up.

In the psionic landscape the temple had been a safe haven, it radiated a sense of stability and comfort. But when the door had opened and the trio set foot into the drowned and muted world on the other side that feeling fled in a heartbeat.  
"Where are we?" Windy whispered. Her voice had simply come out that way without a conscious thought; it was as if a louder voice would shatter something. The Whirlwindling felt heavy and thick air pushing in on her from all directions. There was an undeniable chill in the air and made her tuck her wings in tightly against her for warmth. It didn't help that she was ankle deep in water that covered an impossible landscape of rolling hills and valleys. The water never flowed off the side of the hills, it remained ankle deep and still in defiance of gravity.  
"This place has some significance to Sprint. Be it a memory or a reoccurring theme in her dreams this is where she retreated to try and hide from the psionic influence. It is here to slow us, we are intruders as well."  
"I have seen blueberries that look more cheerful that this!" Camo said while making a face. "This water is wrong, it doesn't feel right to me." It was thicker and slicker somehow. And worse it felt _alive_, the thought made Camo shudder as he stepped high to keep his feet out of it as long as possible.

Windy turned to Seraphina, "Is there anything here other than murky hills and grey skies?"  
"Yes," she replied with her eyes closed. Seraphina walked like that, her staff still at her side like a walking stick rather than a cane to feel the way.  
Camo cocked his head to the side as he wondered what she was doing and got the idea to close his eyes as well. He gasped sharply then opened them just as quick to look around the area.  
"What?" Windy prompted. She had tucked her tail under her and kept her ears flat against her head.  
"Close your eyes," Camo said in awe. "Trust me," he blinked at her. He felt frustrated over the lack of words to describe it and knew it was something she would have to see for herself. "Just do it!" he said urgently. "You're not going to believe what comes next."

Windy gave in after she watched Seraphina and Camo move off in the same direction all while their eyes were closed so they shouldn't be able to see where the other walked. The Whirlwindling was utterly confused by what she saw behind her supposedly closed eyes.  
The grey landscape was gone. Now there was a world ripe with colors of all kinds and violently so. The whole of the place was nothing but neon and looked like a child's painting with colors thicker and darker in some places and washed out in others. The bright sun was smiling down at them and bore a halo of lines meant to represent rays. Even the lone cloud in the electric blue sky had a smile on its fluffy white face. Fat stalks of grass that seemed to have no more weight than cotton swayed in the breeze that left visible waves of air in its wake and swirled up leaves that vanished into the carpet of grass just as easily as they swirled up from it. Camo walked with his head down as he studied the way everyone floated off the ground and on top of the grass that magically held them aloft. It really _did_ look like artwork from the imagination of a child.

A tree with a purple trunk was topped in the same vibrant green also used for the grass. The tree's greenery was drawn the same way as the cloud above with lots of loops and curves sans a smiley face. However a few overly large sunflowers popped up in the area wearing smiles and sunglasses. Windy was flabbergasted. She turned to spot Seraphina and Camo walking towards a pink and yellow structure that sort of resembled a square house with a triangle roof. Fat birds with short wings and legs almost as thick as their bodies darted through the air on wings that looked more like sails than anything else.

"Mind explaining this?" Windy dared to ask when they came to a stop outside the house. It had a large padlock on it that was just as out of place as the three of them. Unlike their surroundings the lock was very solid and a dull metal color. It was cold to the touch and seemed to pinch in the pink door frame around it.  
"Her mind wanders freely. That is the only thing to explain, things get unpredictable in a mind at rest. Sprint herself likely has no control over what is happening if she has allowed herself to dream."  
"_This_ is what it's like to be a psionic?" Camo shook his head. "Reminds me of something else."  
The reference was lost on Seraphina but she didn't care to dwell on it anyway. Rather she had turned her attention to the lock on the door and closed her eyes again.

Back in the flooded grey rolling hills there was no padlock. There wasn't even a door or house in front of Seraphina. Just more of the same rolling grey and her companions standing there with their eyes closed. She had to smirk; it would confuse them deeply if they knew they existed in both places at once. While their eyes were closed in one location they were open in the other. What they saw affected how they interacted with their environment. Seraphina took an experimental step forward and opened her eyes.

"She's gone!" Windy exclaimed in panic. She tried to pry open the door, even pounded on it in an attempt to knock it in. Nothing seemed to work. One moment Seraphina was standing in front of it with her eyes close and the next she simply vanished through the door like it had been opened somehow. "Camo!" the blue hybrid cried out in fear, "What do we do?"  
Camo reached out with a paw and pulled Windy back. "Calm down!" he hissed at her. "She won't abandon us like leaves do trees in autumn. Wait for her return."

Seraphina was delighted, it had worked. She found herself on the other side of the door. When she looked behind her the door looked much as it had on the other side just with the padlock on the left hand side rather than the right. Now the environment looked normal. It was at dawn, the sky was colored pink before it turned orange then purple on the fringes that finally gave way to a powder blue sky ripe with the promise of a beautiful new day. Seraphina was in a small village made of thatched huts. Mud brick walls held up the dry grassy roofs and were arranged in rows to give the appearance of hard packed dirt streets along the way. Street lamps still burned softly and cast yellow haloes of light on the grass at their bases. A well stood directly to Seraphina's left, the bucket perched on the lip held a small amount of water. Birds sang and livestock milled about in their pens while an elven farmer tended them. For now Seraphina had seen enough. She turned back around, closed her eyes and stepped forward once she found herself back in the soggy grey wasteland. She closed her eyes there and opened them next to a startled Camo and Windy.  
"Follow me," Seraphina said with a genuine smile, "I found the way in."

"How did you figure all this out?" Camo murmured as he looked around the little village.  
"Every mind and its defenses are different. Apparently Sprint likes to hide things under layers. Honestly I found it by accident. We have more to travel and this layer has heavy influences from another mind." Seraphina stepped in front of the two dragons and the first thing they noticed was the sudden appearance of a pack slung over her shoulders. She looked back on them as if she knew what they had just been wondering about. "We are travelers if anyone asks. Do not treat this as a figment of Sprint's imagination. If she is here then it feels very real to her and the people that populate it will act how she expects them. We are outsiders to this village but residents of this world. Do not ask for Sprint, do not speak of being a Skylander or anything we have just been through. If you upset anyone Sprint's defenses will hone in on us."

"I… know where we are," Windy said slowly. "But it's all wonk." She squinted as she looked at the buildings. "This is our home but we lived in normal houses made of stone, brick and wood. The farm was out further," she said as she nodded towards the livestock pen. "We had a general store, an inn, city hall and market area with a stage for an outdoor theater. It was small but we had almost everything a larger city had. I see only homes and half of the farm. Where are the crops?"  
"Where did the door go?" Camo asked in alarm when he turned back around. "It was there a moment ago."  
Seraphina turned back to where it had been and stepped up to the space it had occupied. When she closed her eyes things remained black and she could still hear the shuffling of Camo and Windy's feet. "We must have set off one of her defenses," the princess said as she opened her eyes to see nothing had changed. "We cannot go back now."  
The plant hybrid stiffened up, "Are we trapped?"  
"No, I can still get us out." Seraphina turned back around and began to stride towards the center of the village. It was unspoken but her companions knew they were supposed to follow her.

The village began to come to life and strangely enough the deeper into it the trio strode the more of the village they saw pop up mysteriously. A quick glance behind proved that as more appeared ahead things behind began to fade away. The landscape remained a gently rolling plain with scattered copses of trees but anything not naturally occurring simply vanished. Villagers began to step out of huts and greet their neighbors warmly. The trio of strangers received mixed reactions. Some of the villagers gave a polite wave and nod, others openly frowned at them and some pulled their children in closer to them while hissing something to neighbors.  
Windy's jaw would have hit the ground if it was propped open any more. She saw so many faces she recognized, people she missed and hadn't seen since she was banished. No one recognized her and she had to fight the urge to race up to them and talk about memories they shared. She had nearly forgotten she looked nothing like the elf they would have remembered. "Sprint," she breathed out suddenly. "And… me! When we were younger."

Camo hadn't known Sprint and Windy before he came to Krystal with them so he didn't know where he was supposed to look. After following Windy's stare he saw two elves, one was perhaps in her late teenage years and the other was around ten. Sprint always came off as the older of the pair so he pinned the older elf with pale mint green skin and frosted blue hair as Sprint with Windy being the blue-green skinned elf with white hair.  
"Stay back, Windy," Sprint was saying as she put herself between her and the travelers.  
"Keep walking," Seraphina whispered harshly to Windy when she tried to stop near them.  
"Sprint! Who are they, why are those two so scary?" the elven Windy asked in a voice that shook. She entwined her little fingers in the back of Sprint's shirt and pulled it tight around her shoulders.  
"They're dragons," Sprint replied. "She must be their keeper."  
"I am my own person, thank you very much," Camo retorted. He barely flinched at the acid look Seraphina gave him.  
"It can talk?" the younger elven version of Windy wailed. Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes and she buried her face in the fabric of Sprint's shirt.

"We don't like outsiders," the farmer said. It startled the Whirlwindling, she could have sworn he had been left behind in the first part of the village that had faded from view when they moved far enough away from it.  
As Windy turned back to ask Seraphina a question she froze in fear, the moment the farmer was just a vague object in the corner of her eye he stopped being an elf and was something else. Slowly Windy turned back to look at him, he was a normal elf. But when she turned again and he was seen out of the corner of her eye he was an enormous black creature with an elongated face, softly glowing amber eyes and a body covered in quills and spikes. His back was hunched and long spindly arms that touched the ground bore needle-like claws. He possessed not one pair but two pairs of powerful legs that ended in hooves. "Seraphina," Windy's voice shook as she called to the priestess. If possible her color seemed to drain when Seraphina shook her head just barely. Windy didn't dare say anything else but did tremble violently when other villagers approached and began to transform into the centaur-like beasts when only seen from the corner of an eye. She saw people she knew become monsters and it shook her to the core.

"We've over stayed our welcome, haven't we?" Camo snarled as he raised his back much like a cat did in warning. In retaliation the figures began to openly show their dark nature when looked at head on.  
"You've always protected me, Sprint," the young elf girl that was supposed to be Windy said. She stepped in front of Sprint and put an arm out to keep the older elf behind her. "Let me protect you for once." She snarled and her form twisted, her colors turned black and she swelled in size until she was the same long faced, spiny and six-limbed creature as the rest of the village. "Let me rip them apart," the beast that had been the mock Windy said in a voice that was better suited for the small girl it had just been.  
"Do what you know best," Seraphina said as she moved her staff into a weapons stance. "And deny them any sort of satisfaction when they try to bind you." Her hands twirled quickly in a blur of motion and cracked one of the monsters across the face with her staff when it loomed in close.

Amid a somber procession made up predominately of gargoyles were two lone dragons. Cynder glanced to the side to watch Spyro in midflight. Spyro's head was down lower than his body and gave him a defeated look. Cynder supposed she looked much the same. The gargoyles did, especially those that carried the litter between them holding the corpse of the gargoyle that had tried her best to stop Surpin. Rolling Brook was her name, Cynder had learned when the other psionics arrived. She was a new mother and the thought of her children growing up without their mother struck a chord with both of the dragons. Spyro was blaming himself for Rolling Brook's death and nothing Cynder said would make him see otherwise. Cynder could still feel the moisture in the corners of her eyes, part of her was confused over why she cried so easily over the death of someone she hadn't even known for an hour. The other part knew why, many times since the curse had been laid on her she had been put through situations that would have killed anyone else. But she lived and Rolling Brook was gone. It wasn't fair to the gargoyle's children or husband in the least.

Cynder felt as if she could have at least avenged Rolling Brook's death. She had her shadow dash in which she sank into her own shadow and became it for a brief period of time. She had tried to do what Surpin did and sank into the same shadow he had escaped through. What she found was something entirely new to her. A world of black and white; light and dark. So many pools and each one was a door to another part of the area. Cynder took a few blind leaps of faith and found herself so turned around and confused she had to wait for the gargoyle psionics to find her and lead her back to Spyro. There were too many paths to take, Cynder couldn't tell one shadow from another to follow Surpin even if she had seen where he emerged from. She was furiously frustrated with herself.

It was a surreal feeling to the whole procession; it was as if the wings around the group were silent in their slow beats. Cynder and Spyro both were so occupied with their own thoughts that they failed to notice another sound creeping into awareness.  
"What is that?" a gargoyle that looked like a lion with a giraffe's spots asked.  
"Machine," another replied. "It sounds… arkeyan?" the red, yellow and blue avian asked a companion of hers.  
"Are we under attack?" Spyro had snapped out of his stupor and once again flew with his head in line with the rest of him. He looked to Cynder and noted that she was ready to follow him.  
"Flint," the lion-like gargoyle called. A compact and stocky equine with grey fur flecked with rust colored spots swooped in close. "Accompany the Skylanders. Determine who approaches and either drive them off or lead them in for a landing."  
"I'm on it," Flint murmured before he peeled away with Spyro and Cynder.

Flint didn't have to lead the dragons, their own ears pointed them in the right direction and before long the object they were looking for was in sight. A red and gold Arkeyan copter hovered in place with an equine faced gargoyle circling it slowly. The grey and white female turned to approach the grey and rust male with his dragons.  
"Skylanders?" the female asked. Gargoyle wings weren't made for hovering and neither were those of the dragons so it looked like an aerial dance between the four as they spoke. "The pilot kept saying they would come. But I was told to expect only an envoy of gargoyles. No dragons." She glanced pointedly to Spyro and Cynder.  
"My apologies," Flint ducked his head, "We came from combat and not where the others are based."

The female nodded and looked back over her shoulder. "Then you have a choice, either wait here with me or continue on with your mission."  
"My objective was to either drive an enemy away or lead an ally in. I will remain."  
"Oh thank the Core of Light!" an exasperated and overly dramatic voice said through a sound amplifier in the copter. "Spyro! My favorite purple dragon! The coolest Skylander there is, although not cooler than yours truly. I mean, if I was a Skylander then you'd have to settle for second best. Them's the breaks, kiddo. No hard feelings? Mind helping out Skyland's favorite, most famous and incredibly, undeniably handsome pilot out?"

The female gargoyle groaned, "Can you help _me_ out and shut him up?"  
"There _is_ no help from Flynn. He's a force of nature," Cynder answered flatly before she angled in closer to the copter.  
"Oh it's so good to see familiar faces!" Sprocket's voice said after a squeal from the sound system.  
"Hey!" Flynn barked following a strange thump. "No touching the sensitive equipment, Goldilocks!"  
"My skin is gold, my hair is red," Sprocket grunted.  
Yet another voice drifted from the copter while the other two argued over who was more qualified to operate the equipment. "I heard they were offering a buffet?"  
Spyro nearly fell out of the air, "Who decided it was a good idea to bring _Olav_ along?" he hissed to Cynder. Both of them had that sinking feeling, the memory of Hex's tirade was still fresh in their minds after all.  
"Oh I'll behave," Ghost Roaster said sourly. "Don't expect me to enjoy it though!"


	28. Landscapes

**Landscapes**

The palace plaza of Uzern had been transformed; it was the most secure section of the city so far with a large gathering of gargoyles both outside and inside the palace hunting for every last drow. It was obvious the two enemy gargoyles that had set everything in motion had retreated, the spirits were roaming the streets freely now and helped the gargoyles root out any drow that attempted to hide. Seraphina and Anicetus had left the mindscape and returned to Uzern; both looked terribly weary.

"The web of compulsion that was laid on their minds is anchored deep and drawn tight. It is nearly impenetrable I've been told." Wraith sat down heavily next to Seraphina, the Hexling was tired from her encounter with both Surpin and Shalu'Bane. Wraith always had admired her for her willpower, it was an honor to work with her. "The psionics are at a loss on how to free the Skylanders. But they will keep trying, failure is not permissible."  
The elven psionic rubbed at her eyes and leaned back on Eloryn's chest, for once the dragon didn't complain about someone using her for support. "How long until the army has secured the city?" The question wasn't related to the topic exactly but it was important to the Hexling. Seraphina rest her head in her hands, if she was this tired hopefully that meant Surpin was as well and there was a chance to find him somewhere in the forest beyond the city. She doubted it but that didn't stop her from entertaining ideas about bringing him to justice. What were he and Shalu'Bane thinking by alerting Kaos to the presence of the gargoyle psionics?

"How long?" Wraith repeated, "Shouldn't be long. With the gargoyles and other Skylanders working to subdue the drow we should see armored elves any moment now."  
"Get Windy to sit down and relax," Seraphina sighed. She had seen the Whirlwindling do nothing but pace around the lot of her friends where they sat in a trance amid a group of gargoyle psionics. The gargoyles themselves were under the watchful eyes of Hex and Camo.  
"Good luck," Eloryn snorted from behind her sister. "She cannot seem to leave the psionics alone and has tried to shake them for answers while they are busing delving into the minds of her friends."  
"She will only succeed in slowing their efforts," Seraphina replied. Light, her eyes burned and felt heavy. She just wanted to sleep but knew it wasn't over yet.  
"Rest, Soothsayer," Wraith said with a gentleness he normally didn't possess. The giant laid an enormous hand on the Hexling's shoulder. "You drove the enemy psionics away and without them the drow are less inclined to confront us. It is safe to let sleep take you. I have a feeling you will be needed to set Windy's companions free."

"Let me get up," Eloryn prompted her sister. "Maybe Crevan or Meilyr has something to help you."  
Seraphina leaned forward so the Flashwingling could move. "I do not want to rely upon potions. I will be even more worn out when all is said and done."  
"The sooner we find closure the sooner you can rest. I know you, Sera," Eloryn said as she glanced over her shoulder, "you will not allow yourself to rest until those poor Skylanders are free. Let me do what I can to get you help." She turned away in a brisk walk after Seraphina gave her the barest of nods.  
"You can't blame yourself," Wraith told her suddenly. "It's not your fault they came back to the city without your knowing."  
Seraphina tilted her head slightly to look at the Hot Headling with one eye, "Without me none of them would have been here. Without that introduction we might not have found the drow out before it was too late." The undead elf sighed and slouched down further. "Good and bad are bundled together because of my choice."

Wraith looked up as Anicetus and Niall stepped beside him quietly. "Think only of the fact we found the drow before they could make their move."  
"There is no need to fight sleep, Princess. We will make sure nothing surprises us. Rest now, you have done your part," Niall suggested.  
"I know _I_ could use a nap," Anicetus sighed. "At least my headache was taken care of."  
Seraphina shook her head and rose to her feet as Eloryn returned with both of the Fizzlings. "I cannot, I promised Queen Elanniah I would see this through and it is not over."

"I have something for stamina," Crevan offered. He handed a milky purple potion to the Hexling. "The strongest I have. I do not know how many it will take to restore you as if you had rested through the night but you can only take two. The side effects are doubled with each one you take. As a Skylander when the potion runs out you will be sent back to Earth. For normal persons, well, they would find themselves waking up a day or two later."  
Seraphina took the bottle, uncorked it and drank it. Her eyes bulged out and she seemed to struggle to finish it. She coughed a few times and wound up with her hands propped on her knees. "Are you sure the side effect is not the taste?" the Hexling croaked before another fit of coughs. "That was _rancid_!"  
"Sorry," Crevan said sheepishly as he took the vial from her. He compressed the glass object between his hands and it simply vanished without shards or any trace. "Well?"

"Give it a moment," the princess sighed as she righted herself. She could feel it working and began to feel more refreshed steadily. Seraphina watched Windy's head perk up before she came racing over towards the group. Niall purposely put himself in front of the Hexling as Crevan and Meilyr turned to slow the Whirlwindling's run.  
"They said you're the only one that can help my friends!" Windy spoke so quickly half of her words were lost. "Please!" she begged as she craned her neck to see around the two Fizzlings.  
Seraphina put a hand on Niall's shoulder and gently moved him to the side. "Are you ready to go?"  
Windy blinked at her in confusion, "What? Go where?"  
The Hexling pointed back to the group of subdued Skylanders, "To help them. That is what you are asking me, is it not?"

"I don't," Windy pranced around when Meilyr and Crevan stepped away. "I don't understand. Where do we have to go?"  
Eloryn was glad she was behind Windy, she had to work hard to keep the grin off her face and giggle in her throat. She coughed to cover it and took the liberty to back up and out of the area. Oh was Windy in for an adventure. Wraith turned to follow her, the giant was equally amused and engaged the Flashwingling in conversation quietly.  
"Do you think it wise, Sera?" Meilyr looked at Windy skeptically.

"Do me a favor first, Windy. Go speak to Nivaeus the Swarmling, tell him I am bringing you with me. Have him prepare you."  
"Prepare for what?" Windy demanded with her ears drooping. "_Where_ are we going?"  
Seraphina raised her hands in a soothing gesture, "Please, ask Nivaeus. He can walk you through everything. I wish to bring one other with me and I need to speak with him about it."  
Windy looked back to her friends and then Nivaeus as he stood conversing with the gargoyle psionics. "Okay," she said skeptically before she turned with just as much reluctance.

"Go with you, as in _here_?" Camo asked as he tapped a claw alongside his head.  
"Precisely," Seraphina said with a nod.  
The leafy dragon hybrid glanced over to Hex then back to the ragged looking Hexling, "Why me, why not one of the psionics?"  
"Because you are a familiar face for those Skylanders, just like Windy. If the compulsion that holds them is as strong as the gargoyles said then even alone my efforts are for naught. I need you and Windy to talk with the others, break through to them so I can unravel the netting that has ensnared them."

"Go Camo," Hex said with a nod, "When else are you going to be presented with such an opportunity? I will admit to being envious at your luck."  
"But I am just a tiny little sapling," Camo said in a voice that cracked. "I don't know what to do!"  
"Leave the details to me," Seraphina raised a hand and closed her eyes. "It will be a familiar experience and not as strange as you seem to believe."  
"Go, I will inform Spyro and Cynder when they return," Hex said. "Get those Skylanders back on our side where they belong."  
Camo deflated in defeat. "Alright, I go. What do I expect?"  
"Nothing more than what you already saw. They will try to attack. We help one at a time to make it easier on us."

"Sprint first," Windy nodded when she was joined by Camo and Seraphina. "Sprint gets set free first. Then Timber," she looked to the ent that still gave his captors grief. "He is hard-headed."  
"Ironwood," Camo nodded in agreement. "He is a danger to himself and all like that."  
"Make yourselves comfortable," Seraphina waved at the duo now standing near Sprint. "Give me a moment," she said over her shoulder before she went to speak with a gargoyle.  
"I'm nervous, Camo," Windy admitted.  
"I shake like a leaf!" he said with wide eyes. "I want to wilt away." Camo snorted and shook his head. "We are Skylanders. We can do this."  
"Yeah," Windy sat down and looked from Sprint to Lunar and the rest of her friends. "We have to. I can't tell Krystal I lost them. I'm already in trouble for bringing them here in the first place. I have to get them out. I just have to."  
Camo fell silent after that, all he could think about was the black tendrils of energy that held their figures back on Earth. Krystal must be sitting next to them in the portal room waiting anxiously for news. The plant hybrid looked to Windy, she was so intent on studying their friends that she seemed so far removed from everything. Camo closed his eyes, he would bring the news to Krystal. Bad or good, Windy would have to return to Haven alone to meet with the Queen.

"As it is their first time I want someone standing by to pull them out at the first sign of trouble," Seraphina glanced back towards Windy and Camo. "I will do what I can from within but I need a spotter out here to bring them back in the event they accept things as fact."  
"I will watch them," the red skinned gargoyle that resembled an elf with wings and a tail said with a thump of a fist to her chest. "It is an honor to serve you Soothsayer."  
Again there was that title of respect. "Thank you," Seraphina thumped her chest in return as per gargoyle custom. "I do not know how long this will take or if you will need to reassure the other Skylanders when they arrive. I will work as quickly as safely possible." Seraphina was surprised when the gargoyle offered her hand for a shake in the elven fashion.  
"I look forward to seeing what you can do. I have heard tales from the Marble Clan and am eager to see the truth in them."

"Are you ready?"  
Windy had already sat down next to Sprint and had just moved a stray lock of hair out of her friend's face when the Hexling returned. She looked up and gave Seraphina a weak smile. "Yeah, I guess so." She looked back to Hex who had earlier joined her and Camo near the bound individuals. "Is Hex joining us?"  
"No," the sorceress answered before Seraphina could, "This is not my battle. I understand this and accept it." She gave Seraphina a nod as she drifted back from the group.  
"What do we do?" Camo asked as he more or less collapsed on the paving stones next to Sprint.  
"Sit down or lie down, whichever you find most comfortable and relax. Windy you take one of Camo's paws in your own and give me your other." Seraphina placed one hand on Sprint's head after she had Windy's paw. "Camo, place your free paw somewhere on Sprint. Good. Remember to breathe." The contact wasn't needed but Seraphina had found it seemed to help the non-psionic's adjust better. "Close your eyes and trust me. Let me guide you."

Windy felt a sensation similar to movement and only shut her eyes tighter. Her heart skipped a beat, she really didn't know what to think.  
"Open your eyes," Seraphina said softly.  
When Windy did she saw Camo looking at her with the largest grin on his face she had ever seen. Windy looked past him to Seraphina. She knew the golden skinned and haired elf was Seraphina because of the paintings she had seen before and the magic in the temple of Uzern during her first visit. The eirian before her was dressed in a soft lavender version of the white and gold thigh-length robe with trousers Windy was used to seeing her in and she carried an ivory staff topped with a rough cut amethyst gem. She no longer hovered like Hex but had her feet planted firmly on the ground. Only after Windy had confirmed she was in the company of Seraphina and Camo did she chance looking around.

The trio stood in a large room full of rows of seats, beautiful stained glass windows depicting acts of kindness, giving and community. An alter was in the front of the room flanked with large braziers topped with glowing crystals rather than fire and behind it all was a great statue of an elf with six wings. There was no mistaking it, the location was a temple. The three of them stood in the back behind the pews and in an area that lead to other doors and halls along the far walls.

"Meir Valan's Temple of Light," Seraphina confirmed the thought with her statement. "That statue," she pointed towards the enormous stone carving complete with golden wings tipped in crimson, "Is the avatar my people choose to represent the Light. All races see this personification in their own way. Gillmen will represent the Light as one of their own and dragons picture the most majestic of their race. Here you can look like whatever you want." Seraphina paused for a moment and when Windy remained as she was the Hexling understood she already looked how she wanted to. "I brought you here first because this is a location of my choosing. It is neutral ground and where I will give you a crash course, so to speak. Understand that you do not have to accept _anything_ that happens to you. If you refuse to let it affect you then it cannot harm you." It was a little more complicated than that of course but all Seraphina needed them to do was accept that as fact and they would fight as hard as needed on their own. Since they were visiting the mind of another non-psionic it would be much easier to shrug off anything Sprint tried to force on them. Seraphina wouldn't dare think of brining a non-psionic into a mental battle with a psionic.

"Let me show you this, Camo would you help me in the first demonstration?"  
"Yeah," he nodded and stepped towards Seraphina. "What do I expect?"  
"I am going to restrain you, plain and simple. You are to try and get out of the restraints by _believing_ that they cannot hold you. Not that you can loosen them enough to wiggle out." She smirked at the confused look Camo gave her. "They are not real, Camo," she explained. "By believing that you can loosen them enough to wiggle out you accept them as real. That is dangerous, simply deny them the ability to hold you and they will dissolve like fog." She hadn't even warned him, the next moment Camo was on his side bound just like the drow had restrained him with his front legs tied to his neck and his back to his tail with neck and tail tied together as well. Discomfort was all he could think about and that made him believe the bonds were real.

Seraphina held her hand up when Windy gasped and tried to advance on Camo. "Let him try, Windy. I chose a situation to illustrate how real your mind can make it. Let him show his will power is stronger." In a real battle a psionic would monitor the bonds to reinforce them and keep them in place. Seraphina set them and left them be, she had to build up confidence in them and she couldn't do that by giving it her all.  
Camo struggled to do as Seraphina had told him but it was harder than it sounded. He was uncomfortable, in pain even and no matter how he moved the ropes chafed. How could he pass them off as nothing if they felt so awful?  
"Can't I just give him a little help?" Windy asked.  
Seraphina bowed her head and closed her eyes, she didn't have time to run through methods of protection. If they wore themselves out on the training then the battles that laid ahead would be tougher. "Help him, Windy." She would just have to step in and offer aid herself and hope she could give them enough of an edge to get through anything Sprint's subconscious threw at them.

Windy chewed through the rope that held Camo's neck to his tail and instantly relieved a lot of pressure on the dragon. He shook his head and grunted when the ropes pulled on his front legs, at least it wasn't as bad as when he had been tied into a donut. There was just enough space between his front paws for Camo to gnaw through the ropes then turn to the ones on his feet. The hybrid climbed back to his feet and stretched out the stiffness. "Um, this is harder than a coconut shell," he said.  
Seraphina gave him a smile, "I will watch over you. Handle things as you are comfortable with and we will be fine. I will not put you through the same Windy. I apologize for putting you through such discomfort. I will make sure you are not put through anything else like that. When you are ready open the door." She pointed towards the one nearest them that should lead out onto the streets of Meir Valan. Windy knew it wouldn't and felt apprehension over where it would lead.

Morning Dew stood proud and tall as she and the Skylanders made their way deeper into the city of Uzern. She walked alongside Commander Roghallach just ahead of the Skylanders. The city appeared to be under control now with gargoyles and eirian patrolling the streets and nodding respectfully to the group of Skylanders.  
"It is amazingly easy with so many allies," Flameslinger commented. "I am bored I think."  
"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Stealth sighed. "You won, celebrate! No need to drag something out. Quick, easy and simple. The best way to go." She thumped the edge of one hand into the palm of the other as she spoke.  
"The lassie has a point, lad. See this as the start of something else, ye heard the news Morning Dew shared with us about the word on psionics gettin' out, right?"

"Get off the bird, Jet," Slam Bam rolled his eyes. The sky baron seemed content to continue riding the blue and green orniteryx right through the city. "There's no way you're gonna be able to keep it. Besides I think Rider feels like yer steppin' on his toes."  
"My toes are fine," the mounted elf said as he looked to his armor clad feet in Fright's stirrups. Sonic Boom and Sunburn exchanged grins and eye rolls, they could never tell if Rider was being serious or goofing off. He could deadpan _anything_ he said no matter how ridiculous it was.  
"Ah know that. Let me enjoy it while Ah can. Beastie isna as bad as his rep states." Jet-Vac cooed as he scratched the orniteryx on the neck. His temporary mount chattered happily and walked as if he wanted to raise a foot to thump like a dog would.  
Pop Fizz along with Trigger Happy in one of their random bouts of insanity decided it would be a fun game to try to roll one another in front of the orniteryx while the bird strode along. All it took was two steps and the war bird had passed them. Trigger Happy had been rolling the larger blue gremlin and threw his arms up in defeat when Jet-Vac gave him a funny look from the back of the orniteryx.  
"Aw," Pop Fizz grunted as he came to a stop on his back and stared up into the purple canopy way above.  
"If that pack were any bigger you would be bent in half just to reach the street," Double Trouble commented as he floated by without looking at the gremlin.

"Is that the palace?" Whirlwind asked while she spread her powder blue and white wings to extend her jump higher to see over the buildings. "It is!" she gasped with widened eyes, "I saw the others! Hurry, hurry!" she insisted. Whirlwind let her excitement move her feet and she barreled past Morning Dew and Roghallach.  
The elven commander turned around in surprise to make sure he wasn't going to get stampeded. He tilted his head to the side before Morning Dew nodded and they moved to the side to let the Skylanders run ahead. Well, almost all of them. Wham-Shell and Drobot hung back and at least made a show of listening to Stump Smash mutter about how fast mammals, reptiles, avians and amphibians lived.  
"Only Arbo and Tree Rex appreciate moving at a slow and steady pace, not even Zook or Shroomboom understand. And Zook is the first of his people to decide there's more ta life than standin' around in the dirt all the time!" Stump Smash shook his head. He didn't realize how that sounded to first mention how fast others lived then to state the very sedentary lifestyle of Zook's people as being too slow for Stump Smash himself.

"Race ya, laddie!" Jet-Vac said happily to Rider as the others followed Whirlwind's example.  
"Laddie?" the undead elf scoffed, "Why I'm older than you!"  
"Aye, who cares?" Jet-Vac held up the reins and gave Rider a hopeful look.  
"You keep that _thing_ away from our friends and allies and I accept." Rider had no doubts who would win, it was hardly a fair race. Jet-Vac's bird was larger and meaner but Fright was a speedy ostrich and had better maneuverability.  
"That Ah can do," Jet chuckled. He flapped the reins and his blue and green bird took off in a dash.  
"Let him have a head start," Rider said to Fright when he tried to lurch forward. "He is an inexperienced rider anyway."

"I must admit, Commander Roghallach, it has been an honor working with you. And with you, my dear Morning Dew," Wham-Shell said with a bow to the two.  
"Your companions are too light-hearted this soon after battle," the gargoyle said.  
"A life without humor is a poor life indeed," Wham-Shell said in their defense. "They are good folk," he nodded.  
"Hey I'm all for laughin' and carryin' on but they _are_ makin' us look immature," Stump Smash grumbled.  
Roghallach shook his head, "A dose of levity is fine. Do not involve the elves in your antics and you will be alright."

No one noticed Drobot had slowed to hang back. The tech dragon seemed distracted by something as he raised a paw to his helmet to click something on the side of his head.  
"Repeat transmission, my apologies for having the comlink silenced."  
"Man, Dro, what's the point in having us up here if you aren't going to pay attention to our status updates?" a female voice grumbled at the dragon.  
"Forgive me Sprocket," Drobot said in his normal machine voice. "I was engaged in combat and couldn't afford distractions."  
"Yeah well we found some of the fleeing drow. Took out those we spotted but others could have slipped by us. There's only so much ground we can cover and _someone_ still doesn't understand how to fly an Arkeyan copter!"  
"You're just jealous that I do it better than you," Flynn's all too familiar voice drifted through the link.

"Anyway," Sprocket stressed, "we're in a holding pattern above the city. This flying horse thing won't let us descend. Is there anything you can do to remedy it?"  
"I am in the company of one of the two commanders overseeing the elven movement. Allow me the opportunity to bring your situation to light and communication can be passed to the gargoyles."  
"A-ha!" a third voice cackled on Sprocket's end. "See, I _told_ you that's what that creature was!"  
"Yes, your deductive skills are fascinating, Roaster." Sprocket's tone let Drobot visualize her rolling her eyes in exasperation. Ghost Roaster only cackled hysterically like usual.  
"Transmission end," Drobot droned before he clicked the link off. Perhaps it was rather sudden of him and if he knew Sprocket she was sputtering over the forced radio silence. But if she wanted results then she had to let him work. The armored dragon gave a start when he realized how far behind the others he had fallen and broke into a trot to catch up.

In the psionic landscape the temple had been a safe haven, it radiated a sense of stability and comfort. But when the door had opened and the trio set foot into the drowned and muted world on the other side that feeling fled in a heartbeat.  
"Where are we?" Windy whispered. Her voice had simply come out that way without a conscious thought; it was as if a louder voice would shatter something. The Whirlwindling felt heavy and thick air pushing in on her from all directions. There was an undeniable chill in the air and made her tuck her wings in tightly against her for warmth. It didn't help that she was ankle deep in water that covered an impossible landscape of rolling hills and valleys. The water never flowed off the side of the hills, it remained ankle deep and still in defiance of gravity.  
"This place has some significance to Sprint. Be it a memory or a reoccurring theme in her dreams this is where she retreated to try and hide from the psionic influence. It is here to slow us, we are intruders as well."  
"I have seen blueberries that look more cheerful that this!" Camo said while making a face. "This water is wrong, it doesn't feel right to me." It was thicker and slicker somehow. And worse it felt _alive_, the thought made Camo shudder as he stepped high to keep his feet out of it as long as possible.

Windy turned to Seraphina, "Is there anything here other than murky hills and grey skies?"  
"Yes," she replied with her eyes closed. Seraphina walked like that, her staff still at her side like a walking stick rather than a cane to feel the way.  
Camo cocked his head to the side as he wondered what she was doing and got the idea to close his eyes as well. He gasped sharply then opened them just as quick to look around the area.  
"What?" Windy prompted. She had tucked her tail under her and kept her ears flat against her head.  
"Close your eyes," Camo said in awe. "Trust me," he blinked at her. He felt frustrated over the lack of words to describe it and knew it was something she would have to see for herself. "Just do it!" he said urgently. "You're not going to believe what comes next."

Windy gave in after she watched Seraphina and Camo move off in the same direction all while their eyes were closed so they shouldn't be able to see where the other walked. The Whirlwindling was utterly confused by what she saw behind her supposedly closed eyes.  
The grey landscape was gone. Now there was a world ripe with colors of all kinds and violently so. The whole of the place was nothing but neon and looked like a child's painting with colors thicker and darker in some places and washed out in others. The bright sun was smiling down at them and bore a halo of lines meant to represent rays. Even the lone cloud in the electric blue sky had a smile on its fluffy white face. Fat stalks of grass that seemed to have no more weight than cotton swayed in the breeze that left visible waves of air in its wake and swirled up leaves that vanished into the carpet of grass just as easily as they swirled up from it. Camo walked with his head down as he studied the way everyone floated off the ground and on top of the grass that magically held them aloft. It really _did_ look like artwork from the imagination of a child.

A tree with a purple trunk was topped in the same vibrant green also used for the grass. The tree's greenery was drawn the same way as the cloud above with lots of loops and curves sans a smiley face. However a few overly large sunflowers popped up in the area wearing smiles and sunglasses. Windy was flabbergasted. She turned to spot Seraphina and Camo walking towards a pink and yellow structure that sort of resembled a square house with a triangle roof. Fat birds with short wings and legs almost as thick as their bodies darted through the air on wings that looked more like sails than anything else.

"Mind explaining this?" Windy dared to ask when they came to a stop outside the house. It had a large padlock on it that was just as out of place as the three of them. Unlike their surroundings the lock was very solid and a dull metal color. It was cold to the touch and seemed to pinch in the pink door frame around it.  
"Her mind wanders freely. That is the only thing to explain, things get unpredictable in a mind at rest. Sprint herself likely has no control over what is happening if she has allowed herself to dream."  
"_This_ is what it's like to be a psionic?" Camo shook his head. "Reminds me of something else."  
The reference was lost on Seraphina but she didn't care to dwell on it anyway. Rather she had turned her attention to the lock on the door and closed her eyes again.

Back in the flooded grey rolling hills there was no padlock. There wasn't even a door or house in front of Seraphina. Just more of the same rolling grey and her companions standing there with their eyes closed. She had to smirk; it would confuse them deeply if they knew they existed in both places at once. While their eyes were closed in one location they were open in the other. What they saw affected how they interacted with their environment. Seraphina took an experimental step forward and opened her eyes.

"She's gone!" Windy exclaimed in panic. She tried to pry open the door, even pounded on it in an attempt to knock it in. Nothing seemed to work. One moment Seraphina was standing in front of it with her eyes close and the next she simply vanished through the door like it had been opened somehow. "Camo!" the blue hybrid cried out in fear, "What do we do?"  
Camo reached out with a paw and pulled Windy back. "Calm down!" he hissed at her. "She won't abandon us like leaves do trees in autumn. Wait for her return."

Seraphina was delighted, it had worked. She found herself on the other side of the door. When she looked behind her the door looked much as it had on the other side just with the padlock on the left hand side rather than the right. Now the environment looked normal. It was at dawn, the sky was colored pink before it turned orange then purple on the fringes that finally gave way to a powder blue sky ripe with the promise of a beautiful new day. Seraphina was in a small village made of thatched huts. Mud brick walls held up the dry grassy roofs and were arranged in rows to give the appearance of hard packed dirt streets along the way. Street lamps still burned softly and cast yellow haloes of light on the grass at their bases. A well stood directly to Seraphina's left, the bucket perched on the lip held a small amount of water. Birds sang and livestock milled about in their pens while an elven farmer tended them. For now Seraphina had seen enough. She turned back around, closed her eyes and stepped forward once she found herself back in the soggy grey wasteland. She closed her eyes there and opened them next to a startled Camo and Windy.  
"Follow me," Seraphina said with a genuine smile, "I found the way in."

"How did you figure all this out?" Camo murmured as he looked around the little village.  
"Every mind and its defenses are different. Apparently Sprint likes to hide things under layers. Honestly I found it by accident. We have more to travel and this layer has heavy influences from another mind." Seraphina stepped in front of the two dragons and the first thing they noticed was the sudden appearance of a pack slung over her shoulders. She looked back on them as if she knew what they had just been wondering about. "We are travelers if anyone asks. Do not treat this as a figment of Sprint's imagination. If she is here then it feels very real to her and the people that populate it will act how she expects them. We are outsiders to this village but residents of this world. Do not ask for Sprint, do not speak of being a Skylander or anything we have just been through. If you upset anyone Sprint's defenses will hone in on us."

"I… know where we are," Windy said slowly. "But it's all wonk." She squinted as she looked at the buildings. "This is our home but we lived in normal houses made of stone, brick and wood. The farm was out further," she said as she nodded towards the livestock pen. "We had a general store, an inn, city hall and market area with a stage for an outdoor theater. It was small but we had almost everything a larger city had. I see only homes and half of the farm. Where are the crops?"  
"Where did the door go?" Camo asked in alarm when he turned back around. "It was there a moment ago."  
Seraphina turned back to where it had been and stepped up to the space it had occupied. When she closed her eyes things remained black and she could still hear the shuffling of Camo and Windy's feet. "We must have set off one of her defenses," the princess said as she opened her eyes to see nothing had changed. "We cannot go back now."  
The plant hybrid stiffened up, "Are we trapped?"  
"No, I can still get us out." Seraphina turned back around and began to stride towards the center of the village. It was unspoken but her companions knew they were supposed to follow her.

The village began to come to life and strangely enough the deeper into it the trio strode the more of the village they saw pop up mysteriously. A quick glance behind proved that as more appeared ahead things behind began to fade away. The landscape remained a gently rolling plain with scattered copses of trees but anything not naturally occurring simply vanished. Villagers began to step out of huts and greet their neighbors warmly. The trio of strangers received mixed reactions. Some of the villagers gave a polite wave and nod, others openly frowned at them and some pulled their children in closer to them while hissing something to neighbors.  
Windy's jaw would have hit the ground if it was propped open any more. She saw so many faces she recognized, people she missed and hadn't seen since she was banished. No one recognized her and she had to fight the urge to race up to them and talk about memories they shared. She had nearly forgotten she looked nothing like the elf they would have remembered. "Sprint," she breathed out suddenly. "And… me! When we were younger."

Camo hadn't known Sprint and Windy before he came to Krystal with them so he didn't know where he was supposed to look. After following Windy's stare he saw two elves, one was perhaps in her late teenage years and the other was around ten. Sprint always came off as the older of the pair so he pinned the older elf with pale mint green skin and frosted blue hair as Sprint with Windy being the blue-green skinned elf with white hair.  
"Stay back, Windy," Sprint was saying as she put herself between her and the travelers.  
"Keep walking," Seraphina whispered harshly to Windy when she tried to stop near them.  
"Sprint! Who are they, why are those two so scary?" the elven Windy asked in a voice that shook. She entwined her little fingers in the back of Sprint's shirt and pulled it tight around her shoulders.  
"They're dragons," Sprint replied. "She must be their keeper."  
"I am my own person, thank you very much," Camo retorted. He barely flinched at the acid look Seraphina gave him.  
"It can talk?" the younger elven version of Windy wailed. Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes and she buried her face in the fabric of Sprint's shirt.

"We don't like outsiders," the farmer said. It startled the Whirlwindling, she could have sworn he had been left behind in the first part of the village that had faded from view when they moved far enough away from it.  
As Windy turned back to ask Seraphina a question she froze in fear, the moment the farmer was just a vague object in the corner of her eye he stopped being an elf and was something else. Slowly Windy turned back to look at him, he was a normal elf. But when she turned again and he was seen out of the corner of her eye he was an enormous black creature with an elongated face, softly glowing amber eyes and a body covered in quills and spikes. His back was hunched and long spindly arms that touched the ground bore needle-like claws. He possessed not one pair but two pairs of powerful legs that ended in hooves. "Seraphina," Windy's voice shook as she called to the priestess. If possible her color seemed to drain when Seraphina shook her head just barely. Windy didn't dare say anything else but did tremble violently when other villagers approached and began to transform into the centaur-like beasts when only seen from the corner of an eye. She saw people she knew become monsters and it shook her to the core.

"We've over stayed our welcome, haven't we?" Camo snarled as he raised his back much like a cat did in warning. In retaliation the figures began to openly show their dark nature when looked at head on.  
"You've always protected me, Sprint," the young elf girl that was supposed to be Windy said. She stepped in front of Sprint and put an arm out to keep the older elf behind her. "Let me protect you for once." She snarled and her form twisted, her colors turned black and she swelled in size until she was the same long faced, spiny and six-limbed creature as the rest of the village. "Let me rip them apart," the beast that had been the mock Windy said in a voice that was better suited for the small girl it had just been.  
"Do what you know best," Seraphina said as she moved her staff into a weapons stance. "And deny them any sort of satisfaction when they try to bind you." Her hands twirled quickly in a blur of motion and cracked one of the monsters across the face with her staff when it loomed in close.

Amid a somber procession made up predominately of gargoyles were two lone dragons. Cynder glanced to the side to watch Spyro in midflight. Spyro's head was down lower than his body and gave him a defeated look. Cynder supposed she looked much the same. The gargoyles did, especially those that carried the litter between them holding the corpse of the gargoyle that had tried her best to stop Surpin. Rolling Brook was her name, Cynder had learned when the other psionics arrived. She was a new mother and the thought of her children growing up without their mother struck a chord with both of the dragons. Spyro was blaming himself for Rolling Brook's death and nothing Cynder said would make him see otherwise. Cynder could still feel the moisture in the corners of her eyes, part of her was confused over why she cried so easily over the death of someone she hadn't even known for an hour. The other part knew why, many times since the curse had been laid on her she had been put through situations that would have killed anyone else. But she lived and Rolling Brook was gone. It wasn't fair to the gargoyle's children or husband in the least.

Cynder felt as if she could have at least avenged Rolling Brook's death. She had her shadow dash in which she sank into her own shadow and became it for a brief period of time. She had tried to do what Surpin did and sank into the same shadow he had escaped through. What she found was something entirely new to her. A world of black and white; light and dark. So many pools and each one was a door to another part of the area. Cynder took a few blind leaps of faith and found herself so turned around and confused she had to wait for the gargoyle psionics to find her and lead her back to Spyro. There were too many paths to take, Cynder couldn't tell one shadow from another to follow Surpin even if she had seen where he emerged from. She was furiously frustrated with herself.

It was a surreal feeling to the whole procession; it was as if the wings around the group were silent in their slow beats. Cynder and Spyro both were so occupied with their own thoughts that they failed to notice another sound creeping into awareness.  
"What is that?" a gargoyle that looked like a lion with a giraffe's spots asked.  
"Machine," another replied. "It sounds… arkeyan?" the red, yellow and blue avian asked a companion of hers.  
"Are we under attack?" Spyro had snapped out of his stupor and once again flew with his head in line with the rest of him. He looked to Cynder and noted that she was ready to follow him.  
"Flint," the lion-like gargoyle called. A compact and stocky equine with grey fur flecked with rust colored spots swooped in close. "Accompany the Skylanders. Determine who approaches and either drive them off or lead them in for a landing."  
"I'm on it," Flint murmured before he peeled away with Spyro and Cynder.

Flint didn't have to lead the dragons, their own ears pointed them in the right direction and before long the object they were looking for was in sight. A red and gold Arkeyan copter hovered in place with an equine faced gargoyle circling it slowly. The grey and white female turned to approach the grey and rust male with his dragons.  
"Skylanders?" the female asked. Gargoyle wing's weren't made for hovering and neither were those of the dragons so it looked like an aerial dance between the four as they spoke. "The pilot kept saying they would come. But I was told to expect only an envoy of gargoyles. No dragons." She glanced pointedly to Spyro and Cynder.  
"My apologies," Flint ducked his head, "We came from combat and not where the others are based."

The female nodded and looked back over her shoulder. "Then you have a choice, either wait here with me or continue on with your mission."  
"My objective was to either drive an enemy away or lead an ally in. I will remain."  
"Oh thank the Core of Light!" an exasperated and overly dramatic voice said through a sound amplifier in the copter. "Spyro! My favorite purple dragon! The coolest Skylander there is, although not cooler than yours truly. I mean, if I was a Skylander then you'd have to settle for second best. Them's the breaks, kiddo. No hard feelings? Mind helping out Skyland's favorite, most famous and incredibly, undeniably handsome pilot out?"

The female gargoyle groaned, "Can you help _me_ out and shut him up?"  
"There _is_ no help from Flynn. He's a force of nature," Cynder answered flatly before she angled in closer to the copter.  
"Oh it's so good to see familiar faces!" Sprocket's voice said after a squeal from the sound system.  
"Hey!" Flynn barked following a strange thump. "No touching the sensitive equipment, Goldilocks!"  
"My skin is gold, my hair is red," Sprocket grunted.  
Yet another voice drifted from the copter while the other two argued over who was more qualified to operate the equipment. "I heard they were offering a buffet?"  
Spyro nearly fell out of the air, "Who decided it was a good idea to bring _Olav_ along?" he hissed to Cynder. Both of them had that sinking feeling, the memory of Hex's tirade was still fresh in their minds after all.  
"Oh I'll behave," Ghost Roaster said sourly. "Don't expect me to enjoy it though!"


	29. Knocking on Forbidden Doors

**Knocking on Forbidden Doors**

Fright turned around, lowered his head and raised his skeletal wings for a triumphant screech in the general direction of Jet-Vac and his borrowed orniteryx. "You're scaring the locals," Rider said nervously as he thumped his ostrich in the neck and looked around at the new faces of gargoyle and elf in the area. Just before he could turn around again Whirlwind raced by him giggling in glee followed by Sunburn and Sonic Boom. Whirlwind's light hearted laughter always did seem to be infectious and Rider smiled in spite of himself.  
"Ah admit it, laddie, ye bested me fair an square," Jet-Vac squinted at Rider when he finally pulled up alongside the other Skylander. "When Ah have found me ah suitable mount we _will_ have ah rematch." He stroked the blue and green feathers of the orniteryx. It was a shame he couldn't keep the animal, it seemed they had bonded quickly even though Jet-Vac had by all accounts slain his original drow caretaker. He and Rider moved to the side of the street as more of their team arrived.

Stealth slowed down at the gates that led to the palace plaza and didn't give Flameslinger any mind when the cocky elf raced by her with a confident laugh.  
"Something wrong?" Flashwing asked as she trot up. She had stayed behind with Bash to keep the lumbering dragon company. He pulled up next panting to catch his breath.  
"I just think we should show a bit more respect to the city, that's all," Stealth answered. "This is their home and tomb after all." She nodded her head in the direction of several spirits that had taken posts by the gates like palace guards.  
"Never seen so many spooks before," Bash murmured. "Make my skin crawl." He shuddered to illustrate his point.  
"Good people, lots of history if you care to ask!" Double Trouble surprised the trio with his appearance. "I want to meet with the casters, priests to be exact. Oh the ancient magics they hold!" The tiki man's eyes took on a faraway look as he thought about the knowledge they could share. He and Voodood had a long standing, good-natured rivalry over who could unearth the most of the old magics. While still lost in thought he continued to drift through the gates.

Flashwing slipped into a stretch then shook out herself. "I see copies in the plaza. Some are bound. Is anyone else as nervous about these psionics as I am?"  
"I've been told I'm as hard headed as a rock," Bash said proudly as he tilted his head to tap his skull with a claw. "Might actually come in handy for this."  
"Maybe," Stealth said absently as she watched Pop Fizz lope by on all fours with Trigger Happy sitting on his shoulders. The smaller gremlin kept yelling 'mush!' while flapping invisible reins. The elf rolled her eyes and tried to put the gremlins out of mind. "Perhaps my training will give me defense against a mental attack. I am actually eager to see how I hold up to one."  
Bash and Flashwing exchanged a look that said they'd rather not have to deal with the psionics.

There was a flurry of feathers as Sunburn, Sonic Boom and Whirlwind were blocked suddenly by a line of gargoyles with wings spread wide.  
"Do not disturb them!" a male gargoyle that resembled a red hawk hissed. The feathers that covered his wings had bristled in his determination to keep the Skylanders back.  
Sunburn craned his neck to look around the wall of wings and bodies. "What's the matter?" he asked with a raised chin. He turned his fiery eyes back towards the group of Skylanders tied and bound in vines then to where Camo sat with two other copies next to a Stealthling bound up. He caught Hex's eye and the sorceress glided up behind the gargoyles suddenly.  
"I will vouch for them," the undead Skylander said. Just like that the gargoyles parted but their eyes never left the Skylanders. "Don't move," Hex put a hand up when Sunburn tried to step forward.  
"Sunburn, wait," Sonic Boom parroted Hex's statement. "I feel… something in the air. Makes my feathers stand on end. Ask questions first before you walk in on anything." The black griffon shuddered slightly and ruffled her wings. She couldn't explain it but there was an electrical current in the area that tickled her senses and made her muscles tense.  
"How many are with you?" Hex asked simply. "I will brief everyone once they have arrived. Come, take a seat if you must and touch nothing."

Whirlwind licked her lips and glanced back the way she had come to the others traveling with her. "Uh, twenty of us?" the blue hybrid asked.  
Sonic Boom nodded as she went over the numbers herself. "Yeah, twenty. But there are two more that should be arriving with Flynn soon."  
Slowly Whirlwind stepped forward, she waited for Hex or a gargoyle to correct her and when they didn't she walked with more confidence up towards Camo. "Is that a spell?" she wrinkled her nose.  
"Psionics," Hex replied.  
Whirlwind jumped back with wide eyes and nearly bumped into Sunburn. The dragon and phoenix hybrid danced out of the way quickly, the heat from his feathers would give the other hybrid a terrible burn if she got too close. "Is it contagious?" Whirlwind breathed heavily. Her heart rate increased as she studied the copy of her wearing the red scarf.  
Hex cocked her head to the side; it wasn't some disease a person caught but an exertion of will over another. "No," she said simply. It was obvious she meant what she had said about waiting for everyone before she said anything.

Sonic Boom sat on her haunches next to Sunburn. The sun was setting and the city under the wide canopy was growing dark as well as cooler. Or maybe it was just the overwhelming presence of spirits in the area that gave the griffon a chill. She relished the warmth coming from the phoenix hybrid and sat as close to Sunburn as safely possible. Barely was she aware of the arrival of Swarm alongside a Swarmling. Or maybe it was two Swarmlings; they seemed to be chatting as if they knew one another. No, the one was the original; she would recognize that accent anywhere.  
"What's next?"  
Sonic Boom swiveled her head to see Slam Bam craning his neck to see past her to the group that was obviously the focal point. "We wait for everyone to gather."  
The yeti grunted and moved past the seated flyers, "Stump Smash is probably going to bond with the trees now that he's not worried about drow. This could be a long wait."

"I'm nervous about leaving my baby here," Flynn admitted with his arms folded across his chest. He, Ghost Roaster and Sprocket were finally out of the copter after it landed in an open area on the topmost tier of Uzern. "Those spirits might try and hijack it. Slippery little devils they are," he murmured with narrowed eyes. Flynn's shoulders tightened and the leather of his aviator jacket squealed softly.  
"Seriously?" Ghost Roaster asked. "What would ghosts need with a copter?" It was obvious that the grinning skeletal ghoul tied to a spiked ball made the gargoyles nervous but they trusted the word of the dragons that Ghost Roaster was on their side.  
The two gargoyles exchanged glances but said nothing. "Come, you should meet up with your friends," Flint prompted.  
"Just… keep your usual charm to yourself," Cynder said to the mabu pilot with the roll of her eyes.  
"Everyone could use a little more of my charm!" Flynn gasped in shock. "Why deny anyone the privilege?"  
"If you're charming then I'm the Queen of Hearts," Ghost Roaster snickered.  
"That's the ugliest queen ever," Flynn whispered to Spyro. The dragon sighed and gave a slight roll of his eyes.  
"I am so sorry," Sprocket said in embarrassment with a hand over her face to the gargoyles.

"You'd think they could take better care of the place," Flynn tsked as he followed the gargoyles through Uzern. "Place looks like everyone got lazy. Doesn't the army have new recruits that could be assigned to clean up or something?"  
The female equine featured gargoyle answered flatly, "The city was abandoned long ago."  
"You're tellin' me!" Flynn scoffed. "And I thought Eon let the Ruins go," he said with the shake of his head. "Aren't elves supposed to be neat and organized?" The mabu squinted his eyes and tapped his chin as he walked along. It was obvious the gears of his mind were turning, what they were producing was a mystery but those that knew him best had a feeling it was something ridiculous that was beneficial to him but no one else.

"Oh, what delightful morsels," Ghost Roaster said with tented fingers as he watched the spirits. The bony tips clicked and clacked against each other as he tapped them in excitement. His chain tail rattled like usual as he glided along with his companions.  
"No! Restrain yourself," Spyro hissed. "You made a promise to Eon when you became a Skylander. I intend to see you uphold it." The dragon's wings had spread in a threatening manner to make him look larger.  
"Certainly there's but one soul here that has stewed in darkness? I find their aroma, texture and flavor most enjoyable."  
Cynder shook her head, "Unless some of the defeated drow haunt the woods, no." She flexed her claws at the thought and made a horrible screeching sound on the city platform. There had better not be ghostly drow befouling the city.  
The ghoul perked up and gave a grin replete with pointed fangs. "Oh the excitement!" he cackled. "Perhaps I should join those sweeping the city for enemies?"  
"Not without a baby sitter. Don't make me throw together an ectoplasmic restraining cell," Sprocket warned with the shake of the oversized wrench she was never seen without.  
Ghost Roaster looked wounded and decided to put the gargoyles between him and his companions so he could watch the spirits with hooded eyes. Maybe there was a village idiot the rest of the spirits wouldn't mind him taking off their hands. Maybe.

Camo's vines slapped the strange four legged and two armed creatures furiously across the legs and belly. It slowed them but hardly stopped them when the beasts stomped down his vines and ground them to pulp under cloven hooves. The dragon had stopped using his solar bursts; they were useless when the creatures could reform themselves quickly to let the ball of light drift through them harmlessly. How was he supposed to fight them? They stomped out his vines before they were mature enough to produce his trademark exploding peppers.  
Seraphina had told him several times that he needed to stop thinking in terms of what he knew to be wrong and right and just believe he could do anything in his current location. It was easier said than done, everything felt so real. Camo could feel the earth under his feet, taste the dust in the air and hear the shuffling of feet from his companions as well as smell something peculiar in the air that he couldn't place.

"Help!" Windy shrieked when one of the creatures grabbed her by the horn and another took her tail to heft her into the air painfully. Windy's skull ached and her tail was strained, all she could do was beat her wings in an effort to relive the pressure of her weight. A few beats more and she released ominous grey tempest clouds that crackled with lightning they discharged between themselves and on the bodies of the creatures that held her. The strikes seemed to have no effect and Windy was crestfallen as the two began to try and pull her apart.  
"I've got you," Camo yelled as he rammed one of the creatures. It dropped Windy's tail and allowed her horn to slide out of the other's grip.

The blue hybrid beat her wings and gained altitude to get out of the way of reaching spindly arms. For limbs that looked so frail and delicate they were deceptively strong. Windy watched Seraphina plunge the amethyst topper of her staff into the chest of one of the creatures and watched its elongated muzzle open in a silent scream before it exploded like black sand. The remains were quickly swept away by the gusts of wind Windy's wings produced. The unicorn and dragon hybrid narrowed her eyes before she flipped herself into a dive and lowered her head to ram one of the creatures. She felt the barest of impacts as her horn was driven into the monster's chest and it exploded like Seraphina's had. Now she understood that a piercing wound to the chest was the only way to destroy them. "Just like vampires," she muttered.

Camo had realized the same thing about the chest wounds and discarded the use of vines for thick brambles which exploded upward and pierced the black devils. Why sharp objects could make contact but his sun bursts didn't was a mystery to the forest dragon but so long as something worked he didn't see a reason in asking. A few of their attackers were destroyed by the brambles and others were simply restrained. It was progress but it wasn't enough.  
The mental representation of Sprint kept screaming for help and more of the creatures were pouring into the area. Windy knew the village wasn't that big to hold as many creatures as it had produced but all she could do was ram them with her horn and rake claws against others to make them loosen holds when they managed to grab her. "Sprint, please!" she pleaded with her friend. "This isn't right, these things are evil!" Windy yelled.

Sprint saw the same thing the three trespassers did but unlike them she knew the black multi-legged creatures were on her side. They were her protectors, come to save her from the horrors the strangers would bring upon her if they managed to take her away from her home. She was safe here; nothing could touch her so long as she had her vicious guardians. But something about the blue dragon that shared features with a unicorn was nagging at her. Why did she sound like Windy? Why was she so familiar? There was something about the other two as well that tickled her memory. The harder she attempted to grasp the thought the faster it flitted away until she lost interest. They were bad, each time she thought about them and her protectors there was nothing but fear.

The elf turned to run while the trespassers were occupied with her protectors. If she could just get into her home they couldn't follow and her protectors wouldn't have to hold back anymore for worry of harming her in their frenzy. Sprint's feet pounded on the dirt road as she sped off to her house. In the back of her mind she knew the buildings were wrong and the layout was mirrored but she was driven on to safety nonetheless. There at last was her home, a massive fortress that was built of stone rather than mud brick like the rest of the village. It was surrounded by a moat that wasn't filled with water but rather open to the sky below. The moat was vast and filled with a howling column of wind only Sprint and her protectors knew how to cross. There was no bridge, no narrow path that would allow a trespasser to leap across the void and no object to buffet the wind so it kept flyers out as well. It wasn't the house Sprint had lived in before she became a Skylander but she saw it as such.

Sprint slowed to a trot, her breathing hard and loud enough to wake the dead she thought. She calmed herself and steadied her breath before she approached the roaring wind slowly. There was a slight disturbance in the tornado rotation and she waited patiently for it to come around. Only she and her protectors knew what to look for, no one else would be able to tell it apart from the other debris that circled the fortress in the middle. At last it circled around and Sprint's hand shot out like lightning to grasp the forked stick with a single leaf attached to it. To reach into the wind and not find the totem of safety would result in the trespasser being sucked into the maelstrom and ripped asunder. Sprint felt no wind once her fingers closed on the stick, rather in the blink of an eye she was on the other side of the wall of wind and stood safely on the front lawn of the fortress. She lift her chin proudly and stood tall. She was safe; those strangers in town couldn't reach her now. With hardly another thought she turned around and casually walked up to the fortress door and vanished within.

"Damn you Shalu'Bane!" Seraphina howled as she thumped her staff against the ground. Camo had given her the idea and sharp spires of stone shot up under the blackened beasts to pierce their chests and scatter their dust in the wind. The spires kept rolling out and obliterated everything in their path while mysteriously leaving a halo of safety around Windy and Camo. When it was finally over only four remained and Windy easily took out three while Camo felled the last.  
"What were those… things?" Camo panted. He wanted to sit down, to rest, but felt wary of the place and didn't trust it enough to let his guard down. "And how come I never saw this Shalu'Bane in Uzern?"  
"Those things were nightmare crawlers. They are trapped in here and cannot leave," the priestess replied as she smoothed down her golden hair. "They are darkness given form; demons borne from fear that plague the minds they haunt and are bound to. They are spawned from a psionic's tampering when they force a mind into dark thoughts. Normally they torment the host as well as anyone that wanders in. Apparently Shalu'Bane managed to turn them into a defense system to slow down those like me who only wish to set Sprint free. They will turn on Sprint though when she begins to come to her senses. And they will grow stronger when that happens."

"Will what we just did work against them later?" Windy asked. Her chest heaved with the effort to breathe, she felt so very hot and thirsty.  
"Only if Sprint believes it so. Fear is a powerful foe if you let it take over. We will have to fight even harder to shatter her fear. This is where the darkness breeds," Seraphina said sourly. "Shalu'Bane, possibly Surpin as well, wished to corrupt your friends. It benefits them not; they wish to corrupt simply because they can. You never saw Shalu'Bane because he was not there physically. He possessed Surpin in effect to be aware of all he did while not being present himself."  
Camo furrowed his brow in disgust, "Sounds like a coward."  
Seraphina nodded, "For all his bluster that is exactly how the allied gargoyles view him." She cocked her head to the side and looked over the two hybrids. "You are not physically tired. There is no need to neither pant nor swallow as if you have not had water for days. Simply believe that you are well-rested and in optimal condition and it will be so."  
"One of these days," Camo replied with a wiry grin, "I'm going wise up to these rules and you won't need to remind me of them. I will nurture the seed of knowledge." Until then the forest dragon knew every turn was going to be a learning experience.

It was an impenetrable wall of ravaging wind. At Seraphina's direction Camo had tried to grow vines to span the chasm but found his vines were ripped out by their roots and shredded effortlessly by the gale. Windy's rainbow beams were disrupted by some force within the cyclone and Seraphina found it impossible to bend the wind to her will.  
"You're sure she went this way, Windy?" Camo asked with the steady swaying of his tail.  
"Yes!" Windy snapped back. "She went right through the wind as if it were nothing. Maybe there's a hidden door or something we can use." She tried to step forward but Seraphina stopped her with her white staff.  
"Wait, I think I can learn the secret of this deterrent. There is no need to take any form of risk."  
"How long will it take?" the Whirlwindling asked impatiently.  
"As long as it needs," Seraphina replied flatly. Windy's urgency was going to bring about disaster at the rate she was going. All Seraphina needed to do was sift through the memories the area held on everything that had happened recently. Sprint wasn't psionic, she didn't think to put wards in place to avoid such a thing and in no time Seraphina found the knowledge she was searching for. She took Windy by the wing and glanced to Camo. The forest dragon nodded without a word passed between them and reached out to put his paw on Windy's. The blue hybrid looked at him curiously then jerked away in alarm when her surroundings had changed in the blink of an eye.

Windy backpedaled a few times and stared in amazement at the swirling vortex of wind that she was now _inside_ of. The area she and her companions had been standing in moments ago was still visible and when Windy jerked her head around she found the fortress of stone now within reach. "I can't decide if that was wonk or bruce," she muttered.  
"A bit of both," Camo decided for her. "Lead the way, priestess," he bowed and waved a paw for Seraphina.  
The elf had to admit it was amusing how her titles were interchangeable with the group. "Stay close, if what we have been through is any indication then when we step through that door we will find another place from Sprint's memory." Seraphina chose not to say anything but she had noticed the black sands were beginning to swirl in again, the nightmare crawlers would reform for a second attack. To step through the door could either add distance between her group and them or bring them face to face with another faction of the demons restricted to the mind they were borne of.

Seraphina went first, when the door was opened only blackness could be seen beyond it. She hesitated for a moment and halfway expected Windy to question her why. The eirian was relieved when no such question came as she reached out mentally to probe the darkness for an indication of what she would find. "It is safe, for now," Seraphina said as she adjusted her hand on the white staff. "It is a place Sprint feels safe and comfortable in which means it should be welcoming for us as well." Still she reached out to grasp Windy lightly by a wing and Camo took her tail. They always stood the risk of getting separated when walking through doors if Sprint's mind suddenly went on the defensive. So far they had been lucky but the deeper they traveled the more likely it was to happen.

"I don't believe it," Windy breathed out when the darkness parted to reveal an all too familiar sight. What she saw had some differences from the real setting of course but it was clearly recognizable as Krystal's portal room. Among the oddities of the room were roughhewn stone walls that glistened slightly and instead of carpet the floor was covered in grass. Other objects looked normal: book cases, tables and shelves were made of glass, wood and plastic. There was a large television and several gaming consoles popular on Earth sitting in the entertainment center. A window was open and the lightweight curtains that covered it danced gently in the breeze. Besides the strange walls and flooring it looked pretty normal.

Seraphina noted the looks on the faces of her companions. "Another familiar location?"  
"Our Portal Master Krystal keeps us in this room." Camo wondered why everything looked so enormous suddenly and groaned when he found himself unable to move. It made sense suddenly when he looked out if the corner of his eye and saw Windy's toy figure standing next to him. On the other side was Seraphina she however was still moving and looked as she had before they entered the room. "A trap?" the green hybrid questioned.  
"Only if you let it be as such. Step off the pedestals."  
"But, my feet are stuck," Windy grunted.  
Seraphina shook her head, "Try harder. That is not real plastic so it cannot hold you."

"Yeah, remember how Krystal had to glue Lunar back on her base when she popped off?" Camo asked. "We were worried it might hurt her but she was fine." As he spoke the dragon's figure began to quake with effort before his feet made an audible pop as they separated from the leafy green base he had been restricted to. Windy too eventually freed herself and only then did they realize Krystal's other Skylanders were on the shelf with them. "Hey, blueberry," Camo called to the Wrecking Balling before him. Polo didn't answer so Camo nudged him with his head. Nothing, the figure simply scooted back from his efforts but not on its own. "Guess Sprint kept them as just figures."  
"Look!" Windy exclaimed as she hopped over the heads of Scorch the Spyroling and Quartz the Sonic Boomling. She glanced back at Quartz and wondered how she was doing since she wasn't part of the group Windy had brought to Uzern. Certainly that meant she was safe, at least Windy hoped so. She looked to the other figures that represented her surrogate family before she focused again on her point. "This is Sprint's pedestal. You can tell cuz of the way the holes are for her feet. She must be off wandering around in here too."

There was a thump as Seraphina leaned over the edge of the shelf they were on and tapped the butt of her staff against the surface in thought. "Camo," she said suddenly as she turned to him, "Have you ever had the desire to fly?"  
"Well of course," the wingless dragon said as he stepped forward with his head tilted to one side. "Bash, Zap, Flashwing and I have often talked about it. None more so than Bash. What does that have to do with anything?"  
"Spread your wings and fly, then," Seraphina shrugged.  
"I don't _have_ wings," he said in irritation.  
"Yes you do," Seraphina nodded. She looked to Windy and surprisingly the other hybrid understood what the look she gave meant.  
"Ye-yeah!" Windy said cheerfully as she pranced up next to him. "You do too have wings!"  
"Like a dragon fly. Long and narrow like a leaf, all four of them," Seraphina began to describe to him in great detail what they looked like. With a little luck she could put the image strongly enough into his mind that the wingless dragon would believe it.

"Oh wow!" Windy giggled. "That was awesome!" She bounced around happily and grinned at Camo. "Try 'em! Go on!"  
The leafy dragon gawked at the sight of his wings; they appeared just as Seraphina had described them. Long and narrow like a dragonfly's but solid in color and veined like leaves. "How did you do that?" he exhaled with wide eyes.  
"I told you that you could alter your perception of this place and even yourself. Trust that they will hold you up and they will. Come with me, I want to check out the window." Seraphina had reclaimed her glowing golden feathered wings from her battle with the gargoyle psionics and spread them before she leaned off the edge of the shelf and let them carry her away.  
"Race ya!" Windy prompted as she ran to the edge and shot into the air.  
Camo inhaled deeply and began to beat his wings. They even moved like a dragonfly's in a blur. Unlike his companions he also found himself able to hover with their unique design. Camo's muzzle split into a wide grin. Wait until the others heard about his first flight.

The window hadn't been Seraphina's first stop. Rather she took the time to sweep the room and search for anything out of the ordinary. It was also a good proving ground for Camo's first flight. He was unsteady and not used to the maneuverability so he needed a safe area to become accustomed to his gift. The room really did look normal except for the grass in place of carpet and the sweating stone walls. Seraphina couldn't sense anything hidden away and got the impression that the window was the only way to go as the door would lead them back out to the maelstrom of wind and the strange village.

Of course Seraphina knew time was short. Again she saw the black sand drifting in through the blades of grass and across the shelf the Skylanders were situated upon. The sand was drawn to the figures as they would give the nightmare crawlers a form to rapidly fill and utilize. The Skylanders were already posed differently. Each of the figures had their heads turned towards the trio and eyes narrowed. Seraphina chose once more not to raise the alarm and simply ushered the two out the window. The next time they ran into the demons she would have to warn them, the Skylander figures were going to allow them to reform very quickly now.

If the room they had just vacated was oversized the landscape outside was normal once more.  
"This is not what I've seen outside the window," Camo murmured as he came up alongside Seraphina. Krystal lived in a suburban area with houses, streets and trees in the yards. But what the trio saw wasn't the suburbs of any city. They found themselves in a tropical setting with richly colored flowers and wildlife. Birds of all sizes called to one another as they darted through the swaying palms and ferns. Gulls cried from somewhere beyond the trees leading the visitors to believe the ocean was just out of sight.  
"We should move above the tree line," the winged elf said as she beat her wings to gain altitude. There wasn't too much space left between them and the trees so she had to climb quickly to avoid even brushing the trees. With the two dragons in tow she crested the trees and was baffled by what she saw. The landscape had a familiar Skylands feel to it, the blue ocean stretched out from the beach for perhaps half a mile before it dropped off into a waterfall. Unlike Skylands though it seemed there was simply a hole in the ocean as the far side of the cliff was covered in cascading water as well.

The ragged hole in the ocean was vast, larger than the area of ocean on the side nearest the trio. The water didn't roar as it poured over the edges; there was no plume of spray as it hit rocks or even the bottom. Rather it was as if the ocean just vanished into nothing. In the middle of the chasm was a diamond shaped three dimensional structure made of shiny black material. It rotated ever so slowly while its sides glistened wetly in light that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.  
"What is it?" Windy looked quickly to Seraphina in midflight.  
"Where Sprint keeps her deepest, most precious secrets and memories. That is also where the influence of the enemy psionics will be concentrated. We are intruders; all of her defenses will see us as a threat and will attack us on sight. Any additional obstacles placed by the psionics will also be waiting for us."

Camo buzzed up in front of Seraphina then drifted back beside her. "That would be what stopped the gargoyles?"  
"Perhaps," she nodded as she leaned to the side to alter her course slightly. "Anything before us could have stopped them. They may have found different paths to take and met completely different defenses. Anything is possible in this place."  
"Anything is possible," Windy murmured so softly the sound of her wings drowned it out. "Anything is possible." That meant even getting out of Sprint's mind without setting off her defenses. Wishful thinking, Windy knew, but she could still entertain the idea.

It was obvious the nearer the trio drew to the shiny black structure that it was expansive and much larger than it had looked from a distance. They would look like specks of dirt when they finally reached it. The object was also humming; a deep throbbing sound that made the air around it seem alive and sent a tingle through the flesh of the three travelers.  
"How do we get in?" Camo was forced to raise his voice over the hum.  
"I don't see a door or window or anything!" Windy added.  
"We force our way in," Seraphina replied. Her facial expression hardened and she gripped the staff she still carried that much harder.  
"Force our way…how?"  
Seraphina looked to Camo as if to ask him did he seriously not understand the workings of the mental realm yet. "Fly hard and fly fast. Stop for nothing, I want you to keep going without fear. You will not hit the wall."  
"This is harder to grasp than the wings!" Camo called after the speeding elf.  
"If you need incentive then look behind you!"

All Camo had to do was shoot a quick glance back and he saw a horde of black nightmare crawlers running over the water as if it were only an inch deep puddle. Their strange hooves didn't make a sound nor did they splash up any water, the surface was disturbed only by the waves that rolled in.  
"Faster!" Windy screeched, "Must go faster!" Her eyes were wide in panic, like a black wave the nightmare crawlers encroached upon them. Worse was ahead of them the hybrid saw even more on the far side of the black diamond. Everywhere she looked Windy saw the black creatures. Seraphina was far ahead of them, yelling for them to hurry. Windy thought she was going as fast as she could but knew it wasn't fast enough to get away from the demons that would easily overwhelm them. "Camo!" she called. "Hurry!"

The forest dragon streamlined himself like he had seen other flyers do and frantically pumped his wings. He willed himself to go faster and before he knew it he shot off like a bullet and blew past Windy. The landscape became a blur; all Camo could see was the slowly rotating black object that hovered above the chasm in the ocean and Seraphina ahead of him. He blinked and she was gone, the black surface of the structure rippled then grew still as glass again. From the corner of his eye Camo saw Windy catch up with her red scarf plastered against her back with the force of the wind. Her face was strained and she held her neck out so far it looked like something was pulling her by her head.

Camo held his breath as the black object filled his field of vision and its hum blocked out all other sounds including that of the wind. Camo's depth perception failed him them, he couldn't tell how close he was. Suddenly just when fear took over and he thought about slowing he met the surface of the object. Like water he slid into it, unlike water it tried to push him back and all Camo could think to do was push forward. He _was_ going to get in; the resistance he felt wasn't strong enough to keep him out. The dragon's wings beat slower now with the thickness that tried to force him away but he still managed to move forward. Camo's nose broke through then his eyes. It was bright white on the other side and blindingly brilliant. The dragon squeezed his eyes shut as he forced his way through. Finally only his tail remained behind. One more great pull and Camo was free, it felt as if he had been fired from a slingshot as his forward momentum became uncontrollable suddenly. The dragon cried out in fear, his eyes were still closed against the harsh light and he couldn't hear anything but his own scream.

He had no concept of time or even space. Camo groaned as awareness flooded back in and his eyes fluttered open. The hybrid was confused at first; he saw a clear wall directly in front of him. It wasn't perfectly clear; it was slightly frosted and warped so he saw rainbows of color when he looked at it just right. "Where are we?" he asked. His voice didn't carry, in fact it sounded confined and louder than he had expected. The dragon cringed and shook his head; the volume of his own voice was rather painful. "Windy? Seraphina?" he called out again in a quieter volume. Camo squinted when something in front of him, behind a veil of mist caught his eye. He couldn't make it out, couldn't quite see what it was but it seemed to fill the whole field of his vision. Camo gave a start when he turned to the left and saw a familiar sight; a figure posed exactly like Steek the Ignitorling. Camo looked further to the left and saw a Warnadoling, presumably Leo, next to the Ignitorling.

With a shudder he turned around and his heart sank. Camo recognized the packaging the money-minded humans had placed him in when he was banished to Earth. He recognized his location now. He was on a shelf with others like him awaiting sale to someone curious enough to see what the marketing slogan "alive on the inside" meant. Camo frantically flung himself at the plastic bubble that held him against the cardboard and on the hook in the wall.  
The process of being packaged then shipped out and placed on a store while human children gawked at him and begged their parents to buy him and his friends had been torture. He hadn't known Steek and Leo before then and he found himself calling to them now to help him break out of the package. But they didn't respond, they were lifeless lumps of plastic and Camo was utterly alone. The dragon didn't even have his wings anymore and he couldn't seem to will them back. He sat down heavily with a sigh and rest his head against the plastic. Just like that it was over? What a waste it all was. He couldn't seem to find the will to try anything else, his exploding peppers could have very well freed him but the hybrid kept telling himself it was useless.

A noise somewhere down the line brought Camo's head up in curiosity. Maybe it was a potential Portal Master? He didn't have one anymore, right? The name Krystal floated up but why? He didn't know anyone named Krystal. Camo scrambled back up onto his pedestal, he needed to be on it or else the Portal Master might think he was damaged and leave him on the shelf. Camo's body grew ridged once he was in place, his limbs shone with a glare akin to plastic and his colors had an air brush look with finer details lost. He could no longer turn his head but could see out of the corner of his eye as other packages fell off the shelves. He saw nearly every Skylander imaginable fall down past him but he never heard any of them hit the floor. Where _was_ the floor? Camo's heart began to pound as the packages nearer and nearer to him fell. He was going to fall next. _Where is the floor!?_ his thoughts raced.

The Skylander wasn't sure what to make of the tiny black creatures he saw scurrying about on the shelves. The packages of Skylanders weren't simply falling; those black creatures with four legs and two arms were _pushing_ them off! Camo couldn't move to flee, he couldn't cry out to beg them to stop or plead for help. All he could do was watch helplessly.  
"Camo!" a voice that he thought was familiar but couldn't place called. "Camo!" A figure about his height and without the toy appearance of all those around him darted in up to his package with golden wings humming. The she elf placed her hands against the plastic container and stared at him with wide eyes. "Camo! You must not let yourself give into the thoughts you are having! This is not reality, you are not a toy!" She balled a hand into a fist and hit the package again. "Fight it! Please, Windy has already given in!"  
Camo felt helpless when one of the black creatures flung itself at her and pushed her down with its weight. He felt sorry for her even though he didn't know her. There was Windy she had mentioned, who or what was Windy?  
"Camo!" the she elf cried out to him again. "Camo you have to wake up!"

Camo's jaws opened wide for a solar flare as he scrambled backwards. Voices cried out in surprise and forms scattered quickly. The forest dragon panted hard and looked around himself in confusion. He was seated in the middle of extraordinarily large trees with white trunks and purple leaves. A city in ruins mingled with the trees and Skylanders of all walks were clustered around him now holding up arms defensively from any further attacks. Armored elves and strange creatures that looked like a new breed of bipedal dragon dotted the area. Camo looked down and saw an unconscious Stealthling at his feet. Around her were other Skylanders lying prone and tied in vines, had he done that? What was going on?

One of the strange creatures that looked like a new breed of dragon approached Camo quickly and kneeled down before him. He reached out hesitantly to put a hand on the dragon's head before he moved taloned fingers in to open the hybrid's eyes wider. "His pupils are dilated. His mind is fogged; he let what he saw in the mindscape become reality. It rewrote and altered his memories." The creature let go of Camo's eye and sat down with his lips pursed. How strange the creature was, Camo thought that perhaps he was a dragon and unicorn hybrid like Whirlwind because of how he looked but it just didn't add up.

"What can you do for him?" That voice belonged to Hex. Camo turned his head and at first thought the undead elf clad in tattered white robes had been the speaker but a shadow over him let him know it wasn't. Drunkenly Camo looked up to see the real Hex looking down on him. It chilled him to the bone to see the look of sympathy and worry on her face, Hex never looked like that.  
"He is lucky I pulled him out when I did," the creature that looked like a pale brown unicorn with white spots said. He rubbed his forehead and sighed, "Any longer and his mind would have become lost within the warrens of hers," he pointed back to the Stealthling that was tied in vines. "I don't know how many of his memories have been changed but I do know the damage is reversible. I will have him back to normal in no time."  
"See that you do," Hex said as she glided back towards a group full of familiar faces. "Once Spyro and Cynder return with Sprocket and Ghost Roaster you have some explaining to do for those new to this battle."

"Battle?" Camo said hoarsely, "What is going on, where am I?"  
"Oh Camo," an unfamiliar Whirlwindling wearing a red scarf said sadly. Her ears were down and the way she looked at him said she knew him. Camo didn't have a clue who she was and was frustrated with how everyone seemed to know what was happening except for him.  
"Relax," the brown horse creature said. He extended his hand palm first towards Camo. "Just relax, you'll understand everything soon enough."  
Camo's eyes fluttered, his lids were terribly heavy suddenly. All he wanted to do was sleep. Yes, sleep. He was safely surrounded by friends and they would watch his back while he rested. Camo relaxed and happily stretched out with his head atop his paws. Things would be better when he woke up, he just knew they would.


	30. Severing the Cords that Bind

**Severing the Cords that Bind**

The group of Core Skylanders sat in silence. Most watched both Camo and the gargoyle that sat with him and others watched Seraphina. Her face had begun to twitch and different expressions flashed across it before it smoothed again. Still other Cores watched the copies that seemed to be completely at ease with everything.  
"You know what?" Slam Bam said suddenly in a loud voice, "maybe others are okay with sitting or standing around and waiting for answers but I want some _now_." The white and blue yeti slammed one fist into the upturned palm of the other hand. "I wanna know why Camo is suddenly suffering from amnesia and if _we_ are in danger."  
"It was a defense mechanism and no," the Flashwingling Eloryn replied. The look she gave Slam Bam said he was lucky to have even gotten that much from her.  
"And?" the yeti prompted for more.

"Look at it as a bank vault," Niall the Voodoodling began. "Just as a vault will have security measures so too does a mind. Everyone has safeguards in place whether they are aware of it or not." He held a hand up when Slam Bam opened his mouth to ask something else. "When psionics travel into someone else's mind they are an outside force and put the mind's security on guard. When the psionic begins to change things the security identifies it as an attack and reacts accordingly. The security either tries to push out the foreign consciousness or tries to assimilate it."  
Trigger Happy scratched the side of his head with one of his golden guns. "Just what does assimilate mean and can I shoot it?"  
"No, ye canna shoot it," Jet-Vac groaned.

"It means that Sprint's mind tried to add Camo's awareness to her own. In effect it would have erased Camo and trapped him within. His body would then have died. We all risk it when we venture forth into the mind of another. With psionics it is worse, the enemy mind could push out the mind that belongs in the body and take control of them. That's what happened with them to begin with." Nivaeus didn't have to point to the bound Skylanders, everyone already knew who he meant. "Their minds were thankfully pushed aside but left intact."  
Stealth Elf narrowed her eyes and shook her head, "So this Sprint, she erased Camo's memories and gave him new ones? How could he let that happen?"  
"It is not something you necessarily _let_ happen," Niall beat Nivaeus to saying. "It is a battle of wills and if one will proves stronger it can force changes on the other."

"You had better not be telling me she has a stronger will than Camo," Slam Bam sounded offended as he spoke.  
"In that moment, yes," Niall replied firmly.  
"Just how many of you are psionics?" the yeti threw all four of his hands into the air.  
"Myself, Prince Anicetus the Ignitorling and Princess Eloryn the Flashwingling. Princess Seraphina you are already aware of," Nivaeus answered.  
"Too many freaks in one place," Slam Bam muttered.

"You can be such a jerk sometimes, you know," Flashwing blinked in surprise. Hex too looked taken aback by the yeti's outburst. A few others were embarrassed and looked anywhere but at the copies or Slam Bam.  
"You're welcome," Slam Bam snarled before he crossed his arms across his chest and sat down on the ground. "I'm done. For now."  
"It's not as easy to get through as you seem to think," Windy said quietly. She lay down halfway between Camo and Sprint so she could watch both. "I almost believed that I was still on a shelf awaiting someone to buy me. Memories tried to slip away but I wouldn't let them. Then I was back here and everything was fine again. I just want everyone back to normal." Slam Bam refused to make eye contact with the Whirlwindling and instead kept his head down.

Seraphina howled in rage when the nightmare crawlers began to fling themselves at her in rapid succession. Their weight threatened to push her down into the unknown depths. Boxes of Skylanders rained down around her, they were nothing more than figments of Sprint's mind. Camo and Windy both had been pulled out just before they were consumed and absorbed by Sprint's mind. They had felt so strongly that what befell them was real that they had accepted Sprint's subconscious as a part of them and had nearly become a part of her permanently. Every psionic risked that very thing when they traveled into another's mind, the risk was greater for the two non-psionics she had brought with her but Seraphina needed their help. Now she would have to do without, if she failed it would be a while before she could attempt it again.

The shelves had been cleared of Skylanders and left a different sort of scene behind. Vaults and safes lined up like a grid with holes between them much like the space on shelves. Some of the reinforced metal boxes stood open, their doors swung lazily as nightmare crawlers propelled themselves up along the face of the blocks to reach the winged elf. It seemed the nightmare crawlers came _out_ of the open vaults and smaller safes. It made sense considering the creatures were spawned by Sprint's mind and her memories of fear or other such negative feelings.

"Sprint!" Seraphina called out. The bodies that pushed her down muffled her voice. With a determined growl Seraphina willed sharp spikes to erupt from her body and pierce the crawlers that had engulfed her. Many exploded with pained cries into black sand that fell like rain into the unknown below her. Seraphina plunged her staff into those that were impaled improperly to finish so she could further free herself. As the weight decreased she regained lost altitude. The bank of vaults and safes did have a top and if she could reach the pinnacle then the crawlers couldn't rain down on her from above.  
"Sprint!" Seraphina tried again. This time her voice was stronger and carried further. "I know you can hear me, I know you are here with me. You must fight these creatures, they are not helpful!" The priestess was nearly helpless; the only thing she could do was delay the inevitable by turning crawlers back into sand. They would only reform however; Seraphina couldn't truly defeat them so long as Sprint believed she needed them. Or if not that it was because Sprint feared them and gave them strength by dwelling on that fear. "I need your help!"

"I need your help!" the call echoed in the room Sprint sat in. She had her eyes shut tightly; she couldn't bear to watch anymore.  
"You see, she is weak!" a voice that sounded nearly identical to Sprint's hissed. It was set apart from hers by a growling sound that came from the back of the throat with every word. "You would believe her and those that came with her because they wear familiar faces? Your friends would be stronger than that. They are not your friends!"  
Sprint shuddered, she was so confused. She had seen herself do horrible things in Uzern but had been unable to act on them because it felt more like she was watching a movie rather than participating herself. She dared to crack open her eyes a tiny bit. Below her was a floor made of glass and far, far below it were walls of vaults and safes swarming with a tide of blackness that flowed up. It was concentrating on one area, one tiny area of bright light that kept flickering in and out as the blackness encroached.

Sprint's head was wrenched back and she was forced to look into the amber eyes of a solid black creature that looked like her, not a Stealthling but the true Sprint. Sprint's scalp burned as the black mirror image of her wound fingers tighter in her frosted blue hair. "This is how things are meant to be! Embrace it, accept your destiny!"  
Sprint tried to back away, the heavy chains she was bound in wouldn't allow it. She groaned and sank down when the black figure released her hair in disgust. "Leave me alone," she said weakly. Sprint was being punished; she must have done something somewhere to deserve it but couldn't remember what.  
"Leave you alone?" the figure scoffed. "I _am_ you. I can't leave you alone any more than you can leave me alone!"  
"Why are you here?" Sprint moaned when Seraphina called out to her again. The tiny speck of light below her simply wouldn't give up no matter the odds against her. Sprint felt so sorry for her, she didn't deserve to share her fate.

"Of course she deserves it!" the shadow hissed. "She is trespassing! She doesn't belong here, fouling up your memories and rearranging how things should be! Crush her; do away with her so that you may see that what I tell you is the true way!"  
"Why are you here?" Sprint yelled. She surged to her feet fast enough to make the chains clank and rattle against the rings that held them to the glass floor.  
"I have always been here!" the black creature snapped back as she stood tall. "You have denied me for too long! I am what you wish to be, I do what you only think of doing! I am power, I am strength and I am not afraid to use what has been given to me!"  
"You are nothing like me!" Sprint howled back. Why was she fighting with this creature? Every time she got angry with it or let its words affect her she swore it smiled and seemed to drink in the negativity she was feeding it. What was going on? She glanced down again to the speck of light that seemed to have grown brighter. She barely knew Seraphina; could she trust the friend Windy had only known for roughly a week? Sprint screamed out in anguish and sank down to the glass floor sobbing. What was she supposed to do?

Anicetus paced back and forth, if he had visible eyes it would be obvious he kept them trained on his sister. Seraphina was alone in Sprint's mind, Windy and Camo had both been pulled out by the gargoyles monitoring them when they began to slip. Windy had fought and demanded to be sent back in even though the gargoyles tried to explain to her that she would have to start at the beginning again, there was no way to drop her in next to Seraphina and past all the doors she had opened.  
"What is taking so long," the Ignitorling growled. Anicetus understood that time could either move very quickly in the mental field or very slowly. He couldn't get a straight answer from Windy to figure out which it was but to him it felt like an eternity. Seraphina was alone with light knew what, if either of the Shadow psionics were still around or active she could be in terrible danger.  
"Ani, sit," Eloryn groaned. "You are making me dizzy, please," she pleaded before she lowered her head and closed her eyes.

Things were so very strange at the moment; Eloryn felt keenly the piercing stare of the Core whose form she borrowed. She couldn't tell if Flashwing approved of the gold chains she had donned or not but Eloryn really didn't feel like being under her scrutiny. Was every Core one of her group had become present? Crevan and Meilyr were being watched carefully by Pop Fizz. The original blue gremlin kept flashing those grins that neither of her companions knew how to take. Of course Hex had been with them for a while, Ignitor was there as was Stealth, Flameslinger, Rider and Sunburn even though the four of her friends patterned after them weren't. Even Swarm himself had arrived and stood next to Nivaeus with his arms crossed. Well, not every Core that was mirrored by one of her friends was present. Wraith and Ginny-Li didn't have Hot Head and Ninjini around. Nor did Niall find himself face to face with Voodood. Even Windy had been met with Whirlwind. Did the Cores just know they were going to be working so closely with one or more of their copies?

Crevan turned his back slightly on the group of Cores watching them. He found the grin Pop Fizz kept flashing to be more than a little disturbing. The gremlin was stark raving mad and seeing him only made Crevan wonder if it was more than his skill with potions that made him take the Core's form.  
"I agree, he makes my skin crawl," Meilyr leaned in to Crevan to whisper. "Am I that bad?" he asked honestly.  
"No, your eyes may tend to face in two separate directions but sanity sits behind them."  
"Good," Meilyr shuddered. "I think I find him terrifying." Meilyr looked as if he were going to say something else but a commotion near the gate drew his attention. He stood up tall and strained to see around the elves and gargoyles that stood in his line of sight.  
"Spyro and Cynder have returned," Wraith informed the Skylanders. He and the other giants had no trouble seeing over the heads of the warriors to spot the two dragons and their trailing group of three others.

"Oh good, so we get answers now? 'Bout time," Stump Smash muttered as he slammed his mallet hands together with a clap of wood.  
"Have patients," Wham-Shell sighed and rubbed at his eyes with a heavily armored hand. "Isn't that what you are always stressing to the rest of us?" He peered out past his fingers to see Stump Smash scowling at him.  
"When danger's afoot no. You need answers quick to help ya get through it."  
"Equal parts patients and impetuousness," Double Trouble laughed. "Both wise and naive." The tiki man shifted the bladed staff he carried to the crook of his arm and raised his hand to shield his eyes against the glare Sunburn was causing with his luminous feathers. "Flynn is with them."  
"Oh joy of joys!" Sonic Boom said sarcastically. "And here I thought we were going to make it through this without his self-adoration."

Spyro hadn't bothered to ask Sprocket or Ghost Roaster how many Skylanders to expect so he was surprised with the numbers he saw. Commander Roghallach nodded to him from where he stood with another elf in armor that marked her of high rank, possibly Haven's commander. The Skylanders that had been working for the drow were still laid out in the plaza where Spyro remembered seeing them last. Windy was pacing next to Camo and Spyro understood the gargoyle sitting next to him was a psionic. It had been Cynder to react first.  
The black dragon gasped and scrambled up quickly to Camo. She looked at him and saw nothing to indicate he had been wounded but he was reclining and the gargoyle seated with him appeared to be in a trance. "What happened?" Cynder asked Windy.

"We were overwhelmed by Sprint's mind," the hybrid sighed. In her nervousness she had taken a corner of her scarf in her mouth and chewed on it absently.  
"What do you mean?" Cynder prompted.  
"It was terrible, I thought I was back in the package and on the shelf for sale. It felt so real and it was so easy to believe." Windy looked back to Camo. "He believed it." She finally realized she was chewing on her scarf and spat it out.  
Cynder looked over her shoulder when she heard a scuffle behind her. Spyro was there wide eyed as was Sprocket. Ghost Roaster was concerned but obviously more taken by the spirits in the area. Flynn must have thought he could impress the elves of the army because he had approached a group of young looking soldiers to strike up conversation. They looked as if they would rather be doing something else but were too polite to stop the self-centered pilot.

"Is he…gone?" Spyro nearly choked on the words after what he thought was an eternity of silence.  
"No," one of the two giant bee Skylanders said. The voice said it was Nivaeus. "His memories were altered but not destroyed. Stone Fist," he nodded towards the gargoyle that sat quietly with Camo, "is working to reconstruct everything Camo has been through since banishment. He will be fine." Nivaeus gave a curt nod and offered a smile to reassure Spyro.  
"I hate to say it but I can't wait to be done with psionics. No offence," Spyro flashed a sheepish grin towards the gargoyles then Anicetus and Eloryn.

"If you are ready," Hex said loudly to call attention. Once she was certain the rest of the Cores were focused on her she began her tale by starting with the transgression Windy and her friends had committed then moved onto what they had learned through it. Events began to spiral outward from there and Hex made sure she left no detail out. Anicetus and Seraphina both received stares of amazement and awe when Hex spoke of what their talents allowed them to do.  
Questions about what the Hexling was doing at that very moment were rampant. Seraphina was oblivious to the events in the palace plaza while she combatted obstacles in Sprint's subconscious.  
It was an unfortunate side-effect that the secret of Uzern needed to be divulged for things to make sense. Still it was best to prepare the Skylanders considering Surpin had sent drow back to Kaos with news of the psionics anyway.

"And this city, it has allowed la dame to do _that_?" Flameslinger pointed to Seraphina. "Incroyable," he exhaled when several heads nodded. "This is unbelievable. She can scout and travel without physically moving anywhere."  
Rider had dismounted by then and led Fright behind him as he approached the Hexling. He came to a halt when the Ignitorling moved to stand in front of him. "I meant no disrespect, I simply wished to get a closer look."  
"There is nothing to see," Anicetus said firmly. "Please stand back. Do you see any of us crowding her?"  
"Well you've seen this before," Whirlwind pointed out. "It's new for us."  
Rider held his hands up and took a single step back. Fright raised his head and cocked it to the side before he gave a questioning chirp. Something about the Hexling had piqued the undead ostrich's interest. "We are curious and fascinated. My apologies."

"Right. So are we just going to sit here or do something?" Flashwing asked loudly. "Yeah, this is interesting and all but I still see elves and… gargoyles?" she asked as if she was unsure that was what the winged creatures were, "Well I still see them rounding up drow. I think we could be more useful if we helped them. You aren't leaving without us, right?" She looked right at Anicetus since he had been the one to present himself as if he were in charge.  
"No," the Ignitorling said with the shake of his head. "The Queen of Haven will wish to speak to you in any event. We will summon you when we are ready to return to her."  
"All I needed to hear," Slam Bam said as he turned to stride off. "Story time is over. Now its drow beat down time." He popped the knuckles on all four of his hands as he left the palace plaza. He just wanted to be away from the psionics, his paranoia had him believe they were listening to his thoughts.

Slowly other Skylanders began to follow Slam Bam's lead. Curiosity kept Stealth, Flameslinger, Swarm, Pop Fizz, Gill Grunt, Double Trouble and Rider where they were. Hex showed no sign of leaving either nor did Spyro and Cynder. They were there to stay on top of Camo's situation while the others merely waited for a chance to speak with Seraphina when she finally returned.  
All except perhaps Pop Fizz. The gremlin had sidled up alongside his two copies and snorted softly as he sniffed them.  
"Do you mind," Meilyr growled as the Core circled him.  
"Not very well," Pop Fizz smirked. "You prefer beast form to potion slinging, yes?" he asked. "Nice touch. The armor I mean." He nodded his head in approval and turned to Crevan. He reached out and took the purple fedora off the other gremlin's head and put it on his own. He ran his fingers along the brim and gave Crevan an insane grin. "You discovered Michael Jackson's music on Earth?"  
"I am well aware the fedora was his trademark," Crevan nodded slowly. Where was the Core going with his line of questioning?  
"Still can't moonwalk," Pop Fizz shrugged as he flipped the hat down his arm and back into Crevan's hands. "My feet are too big." As if to emphasize he picked one up and wiggled his thick toes. Just as easily Pop Fizz slid between the two Fizzlings and put an arm around the shoulders of each. "Look at us, the best looking fellas in all of the forest!"

"Sit boy," Cynder grumbled. To the amazement of everyone but the Cores Pop Fizz did just that and gave her puppy eyes as he let his ears droop.  
"It works on Trigger Happy too, by the way," Gill leaned in to Niall.  
"I never would have found this out on my own," the Voodoodling smirked.  
"And that is a wonderful idea," Anicetus said with a clap. "Everyone can stay so long as they take a seat. It makes me nervous with everyone standing around like they are." He allowed the others to spread out and was satisfied when the present gargoyle psionics set up boundaries for the Cores so he didn't have to. Finally Anicetus stepped over carefully to sit across from Seraphina and Eloryn joined him. When Seraphina came to they wanted to be there for her.

The crawlers had finally been left behind and far below Seraphina. She knew they wouldn't stay there for long. Already they were gathering into a tight formation so others could climb upon their backs and extend their reach higher and higher. Seraphina had met a barrier she couldn't cross however. She fluttered around under the glass floor that separated her from Sprint. There were two figures in the room, one bound and the other moving freely and colored like coal. Seraphina knew they were two parts of a whole but Sprint was denying it. She kept fighting with her darkness and Seraphina couldn't make her see reason if Sprint had shut her voice out.  
"Sprint!" She called again, she couldn't give up. "Sprint, listen to me! You are one and the same, you and the creature before you. Accept your ego; accept the part of you that fears, hates, feels pain and jealousy. Accept it but do not let it rule you, it is normal to feel all of these things but you do not have to dwell on them!" How could Seraphina get her point across, no one ever wanted to hear about their dark side. No one ever wanted to admit they had one but it was true; some just managed to make peace with it easier than others. It really was that simple but Seraphina knew it was easier said than done.

The Hexling changed tactics after she glanced down again. "Only you can end this nightmare. I need you to summon the strength to banish these creatures of darkness. You can do it, Sprint! Ask for help and you will be offered it, accept and this all goes away. You need not fear being weak! There is no shame in asking for help!" Oh it was frustrating, trying to explain herself. What Seraphina had learned as a priestess seemed like such empty words. Sprint didn't need to believe it for the rest of her life, she just needed to do it for as long as it took to end her torment. "The law of freewill dictates how the light can help you! If you will not let it in it cannot force help upon you! _I_ cannot help you unless you allow me to." Seraphina balled a hand into a fist and beat it on the glass above her. What she said made sense to her but she knew it sounded like only a partially explained truth to Sprint or worse yet pointless babble used as a delay tactic. How could Seraphina help the other Skylander help herself?

"You're going to listen to that?" Sprint's ego scoffed. "That drivel she is spewing? It doesn't even make sense! You have the power to ask for help? What kind of garbage is that? If you have power why would you _need_ help?"  
Sprint couldn't explain it but when her darker half spoke she felt fear, oppression and apathy all at once. It was different when Sprint's fellow Skylander spoke; Seraphina's words stirred something within that she didn't understand but they erased fear and seemed to lift her spirits. Maybe, just maybe if Seraphina could come into the room she could do away with Sprint's dark copy.

"Ah!" Seraphina cried out suddenly when she found herself inside the glass room and her head slammed into the ceiling painfully. She dropped down to the floor instantly and rubbed at her sore head. The priestess righted herself and tucked her glowing wings in loosely. Sprint's ego gave her a surprised look and backed away suddenly.  
"No, you can't be here. No one is allowed this deep in, not even the gargoyle psionics could breech this room!"  
"I did not force my way in," Seraphina replied. She chose to keep her wings even though she didn't need them. The glow bothered the ego and seemed to bolster Sprint.  
"I let her in," Sprint said as she stood up with the scrape of chains. "It was my choice to trust."  
"You lock away memories into safes and vaults to keep people out! And you let _her_ into your deepest sanctuary? You let her into _our_ haven!"  
"I can't believe you are a part of me," Sprint's incredulity was clear. "The moment things aren't going exactly as you want you turn from anger to fear."  
The revelation was welcome but Seraphina needed Sprint to act on her new understanding. "You need to get rid of those creatures below us," the priestess reminded her. "I can slow them but only you can get rid of them."

"She is powerless after all!" the ego inflated with the admission.  
Sprint feared the demons, when they had arrived they brought out her darker half and that was when everything changed. Or had her darker half arrived then brought the demons? Surely she was safe in her inner most sanctum, wasn't she? But the thing Seraphina referred to as her ego was there with her and brought feelings of fear with it.  
The ego grinned at Sprint's negative thoughts. "You let her in, what if that means they can get in too? They will tear you apart! Worse you will be at fault for her death too!" The ego reeled when Seraphina backhanded her across the face. Sprint felt something with the strike; it wasn't pain but for a moment, a tiny split second, it felt like her fear released its hold.  
The priestess backed away and her pale yellow eyes never left the poor elf still shackled. "I cannot do this, Sprint. This is your fear and if I intervene I will change you as sure as Surpin did."

"Light!" Sprint exclaimed as she tried to raise her arms to her head and found them restricted by the chains, "How am I supposed to do anything like this?" She tugged on the chains and gave Seraphina a hot look.  
"Remove the chains," Seraphina said simply.  
Sprint stared at her slack-jawed and her ego laughed. "The way she said it, like it was common sense! Oh you are doomed." The ego looked down, the writhing tower of black bodies was growing ever closer to the bottom of the room. "You're running out of time. She can't help you and you can't hel-" Her voice suddenly went mute but the ego's lips were moving and she kept a wolfish grin on her face as she spoke.

"We are going in circles," Seraphina growled. The priestess closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before she nodded to herself. "I have an ego of my own, I can do what the light cannot and give help when it is not requested. Sprint," her eyes opened and she turned back to the chained figure. Sprint's ego ran to her and grabbed the priestess by an arm all while shouting wordlessly at her. Seraphina shook the hand off with ease and glided past the still protesting ego. "When I break the chains you need to call on the light, do you understand?" She pointed below her, "They are made of darkness. Turning on a light chases away the shadows so that is what you must do. On Earth creatures of darkness and evil are called demons. What do they believe fights demons, what are creatures of light called?"  
"Angels!" Sprint gasped. Of course, it made sense now. In Skylands it wasn't angels and demons but the general terms of light and dark. Everything Seraphina had said made perfect sense suddenly and by giving the terms personifications she knew how to combat them.

All Seraphina did was touch the thick metal band around Sprint's neck and the chain broke apart like ash and rained down. She took Sprint by both wrists and the same result followed. Before she could touch the leg shackles Sprint walked forward and snapped them like rotten bits of rope.  
"Warriors of light," Sprint inhaled as she imagined beings made entirely of light floating in.  
Sprint's ego shrieked as the glow in the room became stronger. The figure seemed to weaken and grow transparent before she fell over. Seraphina took a step forward and her shadow fell over Sprint's ego. Just like that Sprint realized the figure had literally been her shadow all along. She hadn't even noticed she had been without one before that point.

The room was flooded with feelings of warmth, safety, support and compassion. It elevated Sprint's awareness to a place it hadn't been with her ego's voice being so strong. Sprint looked down to her shadow, which was the representation of her ego. Always with her but silent so long as she didn't give it power.  
"Come on," Seraphina held out a hand. She was surrounded by the glowing creatures that vaguely shared the same form as Sprint and herself. "Nothing can hurt you now. Why not show the darkness the skills you have learned from being a Stealth Elfling?"  
Sprint grinned and with but a thought clad herself in the same style of clothing as Stealth but kept her features her own. Just as easily as she had changed her clothing she and Seraphina sank through the floor of the glass room.

Sprint kept herself aloft without the use of wings, she reveled in the feel of the freedom it gave her and soared proudly through the air. She moved away from the nightmare crawlers. It wasn't because she still feared them but she had something else to see to while Seraphina and the beings of light rid her of the dark creatures. Vaults lined the slanting walls from floor to ceiling, she was inside the great diamond above the ocean after all. Sprint knew what sat behind the thick doors and locks on all the floating objects that held things she wished to keep to herself. To open certain vaults others needed to be opened in a specific order first, all things Sprint could do without thinking about. She closed the vault doors that stood open as she flew by them with her arms held out from her sides. They were doors the enemy psionics had opened in an effort to find things to use against her and to make the nightmare crawlers. The beings of light honed in on specific individuals as Sprint closed doors, the crawlers most likely had been spawned from things behind them. Each time a nightmare crawler was destroyed Sprint felt the tightness that gripped her loosen a bit more.

Now that Sprint had realized she had the ability to remove the demons herself Seraphina found them susceptible to her efforts. The bands of light her wings produced eradicated the nightmare crawlers easily. There was no black sand this time; they simply winked out of existence when they were wrapped up in the ribbons trailing behind Seraphina's wings. The angels too simply flew through the area and right through the black creatures to banish them from the corners of Sprint's mind. It was so easy now; the nightmare crawlers were powerless and now tried to actively flee from total dissolution. Seraphina could feel as well as see the crawlers that were ripe for removal, they were linked to memory vaults that Sprint closed and sometimes even dissolved on their own without the contact of Seraphina or the energy beings.

With the last door closed Sprint wheeled up to look down. The nightmare crawlers were surging outward now and away from the area they had worked so hard to reach and climb up at. "Light, huh?" Sprint wondered aloud. She looked from Seraphina to the figures made of light. She could do that, it was her mind after all. She had full control of it and now that she understood it better and trusted in the help she had summoned Sprint decided to step it up a notch. "I can do this," she inhaled deeply before she moved herself over the shrinking tower of demons. "Thank you for your help," she said to no one in particular. "Let me make it easier for you now."

Everything became hidden by an intense glowing light. It didn't hurt Seraphina in the least but did give her pause. She turned and moved out away from the demons to give Sprint space. So she finally understood just how much control she had in her own thoughts, good. The priestess let the glow of her wings spread to her full body as she held her wings out straight to the side and stilled their flapping. She held her altitude even without the use of her wings and simply watched Sprint work with the creatures of light.

"I've seen this on countless animated shows Krystal has watched, time to try it out myself," Sprint told herself once the glow around her was as bright as she felt she needed. She tilted herself forward steadily until she was upside down before she shot forward like a strike of lightning and punched a hole right through the middle of the nightmare crawlers. A column of light struck down behind her and shafts began to break through the ranks of tightly packed black bodies. When Sprint had reached the very bottom of her path the light expanded suddenly and decimated all of the demons in one go.

Silence settled in and slowly the light faded to normal levels. The diamond was empty save for the closed vaults, Sprint and Seraphina.  
"Wonderful!" the priestess called from a distance. A moment later and she was by Sprint's side all without ever having physically moved herself. "I knew you had it in you."  
"That was too easy," Sprint laughed. She ran her hands over her head and grinned, "Not that I'm complaining. But it _was_ easy. Yet I couldn't manage to do it without your words of support. Thank you."  
"If anyone asks tell them it was an epic battle with throngs of demons," Seraphina laughed. "If you tell them there was lots of talking and the problem magically went away it makes for a lackluster story."  
"Only girls can talk a problem away, huh?"  
"Only someone willing to try the path that seems impossible and well, stupid will find out it really can be that easy. When you are ready you will simply wake up. I am going to let others know you are free."

Seraphina vanished with a bow and left Sprint to her thoughts again. The elf inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, it was time to get out of her own head and back into the real world. She was going to miss all the neat superpowers that she began to think about using. Maybe she could dream about them, if Sprint could control her dreams as she did the battle she just came out of then Sprint was going to enjoy letting her imagination run wild.

Uzern was fairly quiet as the Hexling's awareness returned. She could feel others near her and when Seraphina opened her eyes she wasn't surprised to find her siblings sitting with her. "Remove the vines, Sprint is finally free."  
Windy pushed past Anicetus and Eloryn to sit down by Sprint's side. "Why isn't she awake?" She looked to Seraphina as the Hexling rose to her feet and stretched.  
"She is exhausted. Let her sleep, she will awake when she is ready." Seraphina nodded to the gargoyle psionics to let them know they could check her if they wished.  
"Would you mind?"  
Seraphina turned to find Double Trouble behind her. She glided to the side to stand with her siblings after they recovered from Windy's haste to get next to Sprint. "Please," the Hexling extended a hand for the Core to move in.

The magic Skylander murmured an incantation in a language the majority of his audience didn't know. The staff he carried resembled an ax with a long shaft, small double blades and a cap of clear crystal. The feathers under the metal head vibrated as did the rest of the staff in his hands as he raised it above his head and turned his large eyes to where Sprint lay. His normally clear green eyes clouded over and his teeth clicked as his lower jaw vibrated. Mask or not the tiki man's face was very expressive. Light and eldritch energy swirled around the crystal nestled between blades that resembled spread wings before he focused it into a swath that covered Sprint. Double Trouble swept the eldritch energy beam from head to foot along Sprint a few times before he released his hold on the magic and the glow faded.

The tiki man hovered much like Hex did and turned smoothly to look at Seraphina while he rubbed at his chin. "She's healthy. I can't detect any spell or darkness clouding her dreams. Your psionics intrigue me. I have kept my distance from the more known psychics because they tend to have no barriers they adhere to. You can do what they do and more. I want to study this." The shaman glanced back towards the gargoyles, "Yes, there is much to learn here. Voodood will likely make the same requests." He turned back to Seraphina and put his arms by his side before he tipped forward slightly in a gesture that passed as a bow. "Continue your efforts. And if I may be a spectator?"

Seraphina closed her eyes for a moment. She was so silent and still she gave others the impression that she had fallen asleep. "Camo will be too exhausted to join me for another voyage. Windy?" the Hexling opened her eyes to look at the Whirlwindling.  
Windy hesitated, as much as she wanted to help set her friends free it was so much more work than she had imagined. Her head hurt and while she had been sitting the whole time her muscles still ached as if they had been overtaxed. It was exhausting to travel through the mind of another. "I will try," she answered at last. How did Seraphina still look so refreshed and unfazed by what she had just been through?

"I am coming," Hex said quickly when she realized Double Trouble had requested the same thing.  
"As am I," Rider followed immediately with.  
Stealth moved in closer and bowed respectfully to the Hexling. "How many of us can you bring along?"  
"This is not a sightseeing event," Seraphina replied in surprise. Flameslinger folded his arms across his chest and the Hexling sighed in defeat. "I can take every one of you with me."

"Then we will join you as well," Anicetus said with a hand out to Eloryn. The Flashwingling nodded as well; she and her brother were no strangers to Seraphina's jaunts into the field of the mind.  
"Count me out," Meilyr held his hand up. "It gets strange enough in the mind of someone I know. I do not wish to venture into one I am unfamiliar with."  
"Then I'm out too," Pop Fizz shrugged.  
Crevan shook his head, "Thank you for the offer but I will remain. There are too many of us without the skill and I will not burden you."  
"Allow me to join you, Seraphina."  
Meilyr glanced to Niall as soon as the Voodoodling spoke. "I changed my mind. I am in."  
"Same," Pop Fizz replied without missing a beat.

"I thank you for the offer, dear princess," Swarm said with a bow. "But this is an adventure I am not yet ready to undertake. There is plenty here to occupy my time with and allow me to be helpful in other ways."  
"Yeah, I feel better knowing where I am is _where_ I am." Gill pointed to the stones of the plaza and made a show of lifting his feet before he replanted them firmly on the ground. "Besides some of us need to stay behind when our fellows return."  
"I respectfully decline as well. This is your area of expertise," Wraith said. Ginny-Li nodded her agreement and Nivaeus merely shook his head before he tilted it to the Skylanders. Seraphina understood it to mean they would be too much for him and he would gladly sit it out to give her one less person to watch over. Now if he had _his_ psionics it would be another story.

"I'm game, you should know me by now," Spyro grinned.  
Cynder nodded along, "And I wouldn't dare pass up an opportunity to see something I might never get another chance at."  
"Sit with me," Seraphina said as she waved everyone in closer. "And those of you familiar with the routine bear with me as I inform the others." She did a quick head count, four of her group were experienced enough to aid the other eight. The size of the group gave the Hexling pause, it almost seemed ridiculous but hopefully they wouldn't wish to join her on the other treks that would follow.

The tall tattooed drow warlock Asmodeus sat quietly in the center of a group of both gargoyle magisters and elven mages. He was bound by so many spells and held paralyzed that he couldn't separate one from the other anymore. The only movement he could manage was of course the intake and exhalation of air and the blinking as well as shifting of his eyes. The casters held him still and kept him quiet but didn't keep him ignorant. He could hear everything as it unfolded around him and the Hexling the others called Seraphina was all he cared about. He knew so little about psionics; his so called pet had kept so much to himself and played the part of an easily subdued creature. Asmodeus knew now that ever having believed that was a terrible mistake. Seraphina seemed to wear her heart on her sleeve and Asmodeus had all he needed on her now to try and make use of her skill in the future. Unless Surpin had seen fit to send word back to Kaos that Asmodeus planned to betray him the warlock could continue to use the evil Portal Master's resources as his own. All he had to do to stay in Kaos's good graces was pretend he was less than he was and let Kaos believe he was more intelligent and powerful.

Asmodeus would have laughed if the magical restraints had allowed it, he did to Kaos what Surpin had done to him. How ignorant Asmodeus had been. His eyes rolled beyond the palace plaza to the city. The spirits wandered the streets freely now and he saw what looked like a normal crowd bustle by doing whatever it was commoners did. The elves and gargoyles blended well with the spirits and made Uzern look alive again. Asmodeus didn't care about Uzern exactly, it was a very nice base for him but there were other locations. All he wanted was the psionics of Tour. Kaos would most likely send for him, be it to reclaim one of his faction leaders or to punish a traitor didn't matter. Once Asmodeus was out of reach of the casters that held him he could flee or settle back into his role as high level lackey. Asmodeus just needed to bide his time; he could be very patient if the reward was great enough.

* * *

Author's notes and frequently asked questions can be found in the "Odyssey" forums. The link is in my profile.


	31. Restored Security

**Restored Security**

"The main avenues are clear. If you really want to be helpful you need to do a building by building check and route yourselves through the back alleys to do so," a mounted eirian soldier told the group of Skylanders that had approached him. He looked pointedly to the Skylanders that bore wings. "Aerial sweeps are beneficial as well. The gargoyles have found drow trying to hide on the roofs of buildings. I will not tell you how to work; I will leave the divisions to you." He nodded to the group then made a clicking sound with his tongue and tilted the reins gently to one side before his black and grey orniteryx began to move off that way.

"There you have it," Lightning Rod said as he clapped his hands together. "Sunburn, Sonic Boom, Drobot and Whirlwind will be our unit in the skies." The blue storm giant looked at Jet-Vac; the sky baron was _still_ sitting astride the orniteryx he had liberated from a drow rider. "You," he pointed to the hawkish Skylander, "will join Bash and Flashwing as a force meant to flush out drow. I want you to make as much noise as possible. If the drow move I believe our gargoyle friends can find them. Those that manage to escape them surely won't make it past Stump Smash, Trigger Happy and Wham-Shell. Sprocket, Ghost is your responsibility."  
"Oh, you're too kind," she replied sarcastically. The undead ghoul only giggled, _giggled!_ at the thought.  
Rod held up a hand, "I will be with you. Ignitor you and Slam Bam move together."  
"Hey yeah, aren't you forgetting someone?" Flynn reminded Rod by flexing. "How could you forget my most awesome self?"  
"Yes, however could I forget you," Rod droned.  
"Me and Ignitor. We'll take him," Slam Bam grinned as he soundlessly punched the firsts on two of his hands into the palms of the others. Flynn was in front of him and missed it else he might not have so readily accepted the offer.

"That would be everyone?" Rod asked as he looked around the group. Those that had stayed behind with the psionic Skylander would have been useful. Spyro though might have ordered things done differently. Rod was like certain other Skylanders and only stepped into a leadership position when Spyro wasn't there to issue commands. In this situation Ignitor would have been better suited but as the fire spirit hadn't spoken up against Lightning Rod he took it to mean he had done well.  
"Aye, that would be the lot of us," Jet-Vac nodded.  
"The palace plaza is the fall back position," Ignitor added as the Skylanders began to separate into their predetermined groups. "If you become separated from your companions find the nearest elf, gargoyle or spirit and get back to the plaza."  
"Gotcha, Sparky," Slam Bam said with a salute. "Wait, Sparky goes better for Zap or Grey Butt over there." Lightning Rod refused to comment on Slam Bam's nicknaming habit. If the other Skylander knew how much it irked him then Rod would never hear his name ever again.

"Sit around Timber," Seraphina commanded as she moved towards the ent. The mages had subdued him yet again; the massive giant seemed to be able to shrug the effects of spells quickly. "I need you all to either make contact with one another or Timber himself. It makes it easier to get where we are going." The Hexling lowered herself into a seated position at the ent's head. She discretely adjusted the white remains of her priestess robe when a hole in her trousers lined up with it to bear a very large section of her hip. Meilyr took a seat directly to her right and engulfed her dainty hand in one of his massive furry paws. Both copies made a sound of irritation when Pop Fizz lay on his side and tried to wiggle between the two before he grabbed ahold of Seraphina's ankle.  
"What?" he asked innocently. "Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?"  
"Silence, gremlin," Hex snapped as she sat to Seraphina's left.  
"Wasn't talkin' to you," he said simply.  
"For the love of fresh water!" Gill exclaimed from where he stood with Swarm and the other copies, "She looks _exactly_ like Hex!"  
"Na," Pop Fizz tried to shake his head from where it was wedged between Meilyr and Seraphina, "She smiles more than Hex. There's a difference." Seraphina looked to Meilyr as if to ask, _have I smiled recently?_  
Silently Niall sat next to Meilyr, the act warranted a warning glance from the Fizzling but Niall chose to ignore it.

Meilyr looked off to the side and whistled as he moved a foot around to rest against Pop Fizz's head and tried to push the gremlin out of the way. He stopped when Seraphina flinched because the other gremlin refused to let go of her ankle. With a grunt Meilyr merely moved to the side so he didn't have to be quite so close to the Core he was a duplicate of. Pop Fizz only rolled to his back and put his free hand under his head before he flashed a grin to both Meilyr and Seraphina.  
"Light, I can see the resemblance," Anicetus joked as he sat on Niall's other side then made room for Eloryn.  
"Do not worry," the Flashwingling said as she leaned across her brother to speak to Meilyr, "As bad as you are I find you tolerable at least."  
"Thanks," Meilyr raised a brow, "I think."

"What about Camo?" Windy asked. She took a chance and sat next to Hex before Stealth, Double Trouble, Flameslinger and Rider sat down at last. Eloryn gave Rider a coy grin before she placed a paw on his hand and turned her attention back to Windy.  
"The other psionics will see to him," Nivaeus replied. "Gill and Swarm are here so he has familiar faces when he awakens. We will watch Sprint too if she gets up."  
"The other psionics will watch _you_ as well," Ginny-Li swept a finger over the group. "They will pull you out at the first sign of trouble. Are you sure you want to do this? Even _I_ haven't bonded with a psionic that way."  
Flameslinger gave a derisive snort, "Je ne suis pas inquiet. It does not worry me, I am confident that it is nothing spectaculaire."

"You make my head hurt when you talk like that," Pop Fizz groaned.  
"_I'll_ make your head hurt," Cynder grumbled. She and Spyro chose to sit behind Seraphina and Hex. Cynder purposely moved one of her wings to cover the grinning gremlin's face and could only smile at the silent 'thank you' that Meilyr mouthed to her.  
The purple dragon rest one paw on Hex's shoulder before he touched the other to one of Cynder's. "Ready when you are."  
"Close your eyes and trust me," Seraphina began. "Do not let your guard down for a second."  
The wind whistled past Sunburn as he tucked his wings in close to his body for a dive. It could be seen as terrorizing what he was doing but in the hybrid's mind the goliath drow had earned it. The drow had been cornered in a dead end alley. Sonic Boom stood at the other end with her lion's tail lashing and Drobot was perched on the roof of one building with Whirlwind on the other. Sunburn nominated himself for the final press and relished it tremendously. The dragon and phoenix hybrid opened his jaws for a weak flamethrower attack, just enough to trail fire like liquid back over his cheeks and to lick out of the corners of his mouth as he plummeted towards the drow.  
A scream as shrill as any woman's erupted from the goliath's mouth, the sound was completely unexpected from the burly drow and Sunburn choked on his fire before laughter over took him. The drow heard it as maniacal cackling and turned to try and claw his way up one of the buildings in an effort to escape.  
The fiery dragon drew in as close as safely possible before his wings snapped out wide and swept him back up higher into the sky, his laughter still trailed him.

"That is unacceptable behavior," Drobot stated as he fired a few laser bursts from his goggles to drop the drow back to the alley. "I believe the finishing move should be yours." He looked to Whirlwind.  
"With pleasure," she smirked before she dropped multiple tempest clouds on him. The area was alight with the glow of lightning for quite a while before Whirlwind hopped down into the alley as Sonic Boom carefully strode up to the crumpled drow.  
"Help me pull him out? Sunburn went to find the nearest mounted eirian to get a stretcher or something to move him."  
"Never dealt with drow that tried to hide away before," the blue hybrid murmured.  
"They acted without Kaos's direction," Sonic Boom replied. Once Whirlwind gave her the okay she grasped a part of the drow's clothing in her beak before she set to tugging him. Drobot landed a moment later to work his way in for assistance.  
"Kaos forces them to press relentlessly," Drobot said once the ladies had to take a short break. "He expects results and if they are going to fail they had better not return."  
"It's a wonder anyone even serves him with his track record," Sonic Boom mumbled. She gripped the fabric again and resumed tugging.  
"I know, right?" Whirlwind scoffed before she bit down again herself.

"Ya know this'd be a whole lot easier if ya'd just give up." Stump Smash pounded his mallets together. Inside of a building with a large open room like a gymnasium or audience hall of some sort he, Wham-Shell and Trigger Happy had found four drow, two trekkers and five orniteryx hiding. The trekkers were silent and didn't seem to mind much what was happening but the orniteryx birds had ruffled their feathers and held their wings out. The war birds walked stiffly and kept their necks arched to hiss.  
"Guess that's a no?" the tree creature grunted when a fireball from a witch sailed past him. "You singe my bark an' I'm gonna grind ya inta wood pulp." He recoiled for a moment then spat out a spiked acorn that rolled across the floor quickly and scattered the drow. "Take your pick!" the ent laughed, "We can play drop the hammer or bowling for confused tree-huggers!" Stump Smashed opened his mouth to follow up with another crack but clamped his jaws shut when golden coins began to ricochet off objects in every direction. "Watch where ya aim that pea shooter!" Stump Smash grumbled and raised a massive mallet fist to block the barrage.  
"Can't help it, you're in the way!" Trigger Happy cackled as he bounded around with the recoil from the massive gun turret he mysteriously forged by clapping his pistols together.  
"Well at least do not shoot at me!" Wham-Shell yelled. "The drow aren't even over here!"  
"Oh, fine!" Trigger Happy huffed before he separated his guns and plinked away at drow in a disenchanted way.

"Sometimes," Wham-Shell sighed and shook his head. At least the random shots had finally stirred the drow and interested them in combat. One managed to get an orniteryx calm enough to mount and he charged the Skylanders instantly. Wham-Shell watched Trigger Happy follow the mounted drow with his guns blazing, the bird as well as rider took hits but it didn't slow them. The coins were odd little projectiles, sometimes they traveled at the speeds needed to be effective and other times they didn't. Trigger Happy often didn't charge his shots, he couldn't pull the trigger often enough when he did that and so it was only a last resort kind of attack.

"All yours!" Stump Smash called to Wham-Shell when he tripped up the orniteryx with an acorn. He smirked and looked back to the other three drow, the witch in particular. "Ain't gonna work how you want it," he said.  
The caster scowled at him and threw a blade from each hand, with a spell applied to them the projectiles split into ten. Stump Smash wasn't so confident anymore. The ent threw himself out of the way of the projectiles and scrambled back to his feet in time to swing a mallet at one of the other orniteryx that had decided it was a good time to charge. As expected the witch's blades curved around to return to her. Only one made it, the second hit the orniteryx hard in the chest and knocked the bird down with shrieks of pain and terror. "Hey now!" Stump Smash snapped, "I thought the bird was on your side!"  
The witch narrowed her eyes as she effortlessly snagged her lone blade out of the air.  
"And these blasted things are still gonna help you?" the ent grumbled as he side stepped the charge from another war bird. "Hey yo, Trig! You mind helpin' a stump out?"

Apparently Trigger Happy had gone the route of Jet-Vac and had managed to climb atop an orniteryx. The orange gremlin looked ridiculous on the back of the pink and blue bird. To make matters worse he was sitting backwards and the bird was trying to throw him and beat him with her wings. Still, with one hand used to brace himself the gremlin managed to take aim and hit the orniteryx bothering the ent right between the eyes. The bird's eyes rolled back and he crumpled to the ground. He pointed his gun at another and hit it in the throat as well as leg to force it to limp and draw its neck in close for fear of further attacks.

"You had a better chance on foot all along," Wham-Shell informed the drow when he finally decided to abandon the orniteryx. The red crustacean's spiked mace had left the war bird's legs riddled with puncture wounds and quite possibly a broken or at least fractured limb. The large crab wasted no time and swung his mace out with both hands to meet the slash of a blade. The drow's weapon got tangled in the mace's spikes and Wham-Shell was able to pin it to the floor. He removed one hand from the handle of his mace, balled it into a fist and slammed it into the drow's face.  
The drow let go of his sword and stumbled backwards to the sound of steel clattering on the floor. He was too dazed to do much of anything but try to throw his hands up when Wham-Shell moved in quick to ram him with a shoulder. The drow stumbled again and that time it was in his favor as the crustacean's mace sailed harmlessly over his head.

"We don't have time for this," Wham-Shell muttered. He altered his grip on the mace and instead flung starfish at the drow. Blinded by one that managed to hit him in the face the drow forgot about everything else and instead tried to remove the creature that latched onto him. Fluidly the crustacean slammed his mace against the floor to set loose an electrical field. The drow didn't know what hit him nor did the two orniteryx that charged Wham-Shell just before his attack. "Heads up lads!" the crab bellowed. He electrified a few starfish before he slung them at the other drow to confuse and stall them. "Finish them off and let's move to other ventures."

Ignitor had more strength in his arms than the drow wielding two blades. His heavy flaming sword kept both of the drow's weapons in defensive positions just to keep the flames that engulfed it from making contact.  
"I'd be more impressed with multiple blades if you had as many arms as me," Slam Bam surprised the drow from behind. He grabbed the dark elf and forcefully pulled him away from Ignitor so the fire spirit could move in on another drow. "But you don't so too bad!" Just like that the yeti casually tossed the drow aside to a few elven soldiers that were trotting into the area to assist the Skylanders. "Too easy when you think about it, 'ey Flynn?"  
"Oh yeah, piece of cake!" the mabu pilot nodded vigorously. "My reputation must have preceded me. Look how they avoid my mighty... might." In truth the drow didn't even have a chance to get in close to Flynn with the Skylanders about.  
Slam Bam walked up to Flynn and thumped him heavily with a large hand, "Yep, a regular game changer."

"Watch yourself, Slam," Ignitor called to the yeti as he disarmed his second drow opponent. The fire spirit kept his blade pointed towards the drow's throat as the eirian elves moved in to restrain the dark elf. "It won't be long now, seems the drow are dwindlin' further into trace numbers."  
"They're just afraid to face a real warrior," Flynn gave his best dramatic pose and sly grin.  
"Curb your enthusiasm," Ignitor warned as he sheathed his blade, "else I might be forced to smite thee."  
"Ohh! I've never been smitted, uh smitten, smote? Anyway I've never had that honor before. What kind of ceremony is there and what rewards will I receive to commemorate my awesome exploits?"  
Slam Bam blinked at Ignitor, the fire spirit's shoulders had slumped and he merely shook his head. "There will be cake, need I say more?" The yeti could only grin at the incredulous looks the elves were giving him and he quietly told one if he knew Flynn he would be adding his own comments.

"Where might a bloke look to be of the most assistance?" Ignitor asked one of the soldiers. "We want to help you clear the riff-raff quickly and it looks like we're steppin' on toes 'ere."  
"Try further out to the west docks on this level," a red haired and copper skinned swordswoman replied. "There are plenty of lifts that are still active and drow might be moving between the tiers."  
Ignitor swept into a bow before her, "Thank you my dear."  
"Yeah, yeah, flirt some other time," Slam Bam waved both hands on one side at the fire spirit. He smirked to himself when Ignitor's flames suddenly had a tinge of pink in them and the warrior elf put a hand to her chest as she watched the yeti stride away. Oh she looked flattered at the prospect but still surprised.

"You know what?" Flynn said as he sauntered up to Ignitor. "You need to work on your skills with the ladies." He winked at the fire Skylander and Ignitor made no effort to hide his groan. "Just watch a professional at work!"  
"No, let's not," Slam Bam had turned so quickly and clamped all four of his hands on Flynn's arms that everyone was left blinking in confusion when the yeti picked up the mabu and headed off in the direction the elf had pointed them towards. "You comin' Fire Iron?"  
"Yes, of course." Ignitor looked back to the elven woman and gave her one last bow before he trot after Slam Bam. Flynn was now tucked under the arms of the yeti and protesting loudly about how it would harm his image.

"Oh look at 'im run! Run, run wee little drow!" Jet-Vac's laughter was a raucous sound as he terrorized a drow archer from the back of his green and blue orniteryx. He could have easily passed the drow but it was obvious he was toying with the dark elf.  
"You're hoggin' all the fun!" Bash protested. He snorted and rolled himself into a ball before he took off after Jet-Vac.  
"Men," Flashwing snorted. "Or should I say _boys_." The spirit next to her chuckled. She had the look of a housewife in a sturdy and plain dress with an apron tied around her waist. Strangely enough the spirit was missing shoes.  
_There are two more drow in that building_, the ghostly elven woman said as she pointed. _The area is over all clear. The psionic gargoyles are very good at rooting out any drow that think they can hide._  
"Well, let's go flush out the little scum bags," Flashwing said. As she shifted her wings the crystals that were in place of feathers clicked and chimed. "And thank you," she nodded to the spirit. Help from the ghostly residents of Uzern was the last thing Flashwing had expected. They had taken her by surprise with their willingness to help and their solidity. The gem dragon was used to ghosts and spirits that were barely recognizable as upright, bipedal figures. The Fallen of Uzern were full bodied and could have passed as living, breathing elves if not for their transparent nature and color schemes restricted to blue.

Rod had wanted them to make as much noise as possible to flush out the drow but Flashwing opted for a little more discretion as she crept up on the two that were still hiding. Bash and Jet-Vac were making enough noise anyway. The hidden drow wouldn't even be prepared for the dragon's arrival with the other two Skylanders enjoying running the dark elf that had tried to flee in circles. Flashwing was thrilled with the luck of the building's door having long ago fallen and covered in thick moss. Carefully she tested her weight on it; it didn't rock or make any sort of sound. Methodically Flashwing stepped into the darkened building and raised her nose to the air to sniff out the drow.  
_The first left_, the spirit prompted Flashwing. _Then the second right before you take another immediate right._ The spirit trailed around behind Flashwing like a shadow. She made no sound, took up no space but was a wellspring of information and when she spoke it was only heard by those she wanted to hear.

Left, right and right again. Flashwing paused in the room the hall opened into and tilted her head to the side as she listened. Bash and Jet-Vac could still be heard outside. Now they were complaining about the drow giving up and welcoming the restraints the newly arrived gargoyles employed.  
The dragon's eyes were still trying to adjust to the near blackness of the building but her other sense worked fine. She smelled the drow, one female and one male. Fear was heavy as was anticipation for the duo. "Can they see me?" Flashwing asked so softly most of her words were lost even to her own ears.  
_No_, the spirit answered. _It is safe to move further into the room. Move quickly though. As soon as the drow hear your companions ask of your whereabouts so too will the drow hear and you will lose the element of surprise._

The element of surprise had been Flashwing's whole reason for going it alone. In the back of her mind she had to laugh, Stealth would probably tell her that she still made too much noise but it was the best Flashwing could manage. She placed one foot in front of the other and moved with determination into the wide, open room. The building had been a shop at one time; the dragon couldn't tell what kind yet but it hardly mattered. Her eyes had finally adjusted enough and in the grey of the room she saw a small section of black move. Perhaps the top of a head or maybe a shoulder. But she had the drow's location. Flashwing paused for a moment to look over her shoulder to make sure her crystals weren't glowing. She loved the radiant armor for that very reason but in an area of darkness that she was trying to sneak around in it was a dead giveaway.

Flashwing lowered her belly to the ground as she neared the counter she had seen the movement at. The spirit had vanished but that was alright with the dragon, she could handle it from there. Once she was as close as possible for what she wanted to do Flashwing hunched her shoulders and rocked side to side as she judged the distance. Her legs tensed and coiled in preparation and with a loud roar the dragon leapt up and over the counter.

The drow yelled in surprise, one was a large goliath and the other a severely wounded witch. She must have had exhausted her magic stores because she failed to cast when Flashwing came down hard on the goliath she was with. Flashwing reached out to the witch with a paw and boxed her good when the drow tried to clamor away. Her attention turned instantly to the goliath when he grabbed her painfully by a wing.  
"Damn you!" the goliath hissed. "The Skylanders weren't supposed to be here!"  
Flashwing whipped her tail around and hit the goliath in the gut with a burst of shards. He yelped and released her in surprise. "Where ever your kind are we will be!" Flashwing growled and sank her teeth into his shoulder just as several gargoyles burst into the room. The dragon held on as the goliath surged to his feet with the addition of mage light into the room.

"Take them both," a gargoyle that looked like an olive green lion bearing curled ram horns said. She held one hand up and just above the palm floated a bluish-white orb of light. She stood her ground and the other gargoyles dressed in the spiked elbow, knee and knuckle guards moved forward to grab the two drow frozen by the caster's efforts.  
Flashwing opened her jaws and slid back to the floor as the winged creatures moved up beside her. She gave a respectful nod and stepped to the side.  
"Where is she? Is she ok, what happened? Flashwing!"  
The dragon in question rolled her eyes; _of course_ Bash would think she needed rescuing. He was sweet but could be a little thick at times. "I'm alright," she called out to him. Moments later his bulky brown form came waddling through the door and stood there blocking it as if he meant to frighten anyone that wished Flashwing harm with his stature and posture. Behind him, _at last_, Jet-Vac had finally dismounted and walked into the room cautiously with his vacuum weapon held in both hands and pointed downward.

"Why'd ye no warn us, lassie?" the sky baron asked. "The drow we had was jus' for sport. We coulda helped ye."  
"I'm fine, guys. Really," Flashwing sighed. "Look, let's just keep moving and let the gargoyles deal with the captured drow." She thanked the two legged flying people and moved back out into the twilight streets of Uzern. Lamp posts, discarded lanterns and fire pits were all aglow now with mage light. The pale blue glow gave the dead city an etheric look and Flashwing had to remind herself that the spirits were allies and not enemies.

The conditions were just right it seemed and the spirits of Uzern had arisen to combat the fledgling specters of drow. The drow ghosts couldn't be allowed to stay in Uzern, their presence was unwelcome and their touch that of corruption. Through it all Ghost Roaster had only one thought; he got his wish and by devouring the dark shadows of fallen drow he helped cleanse the city of their taint.  
"Had I known I was actually going to find myself in combat with the incorporeal cretins I _would_ have made that ectoplasmic containment unit after all," Sprocket grumbled. Her wrench was useless; the ghostly drow could avoid damage but were able to hurt her. At least Rod's lightning could be used to hold them at bay. The energy disrupted them and seemed to actually cause a few that had been struck to dissipate and fade into nothing. At least Sprocket hadn't seen any of them return.  
_We will help you as you have endeavored to help us_, one of the eirian spirits promised the Skylanders. He said word of the spectral drow had been sent to others and if only magic of the right element could combat them then that was what they were going to have to rely on.

"You make sure you protect those friendlies," Rod told Ghost Roaster sternly. "Keep them from being destroyed. They've been through enough."  
"My pleasure!" the ghoul replied with a toothy grin full of needle-like daggers. The undead Skylander floated off with the spiked mace linked to him via a thick chain rattling. He had adapted well to it and used it as an extension of himself.  
"Sprocket, stay close my dear." Rod reached out to take her gently by a shoulder and lead her back in next to him. Her heart was in the right place, she tried her best to find something to throw at the spectral drow.  
"Maybe if I can alter one of my turrets with a modified tesla coil," Sprocket began to mutter under her breath as she watched Rod hold the specters at bay alongside the native Uzern spirits.

Spectral weapons still sounded like those made of steel or other metals when they clashed. Ghost Roaster ignored the combat around him for a moment as he darted around the battle field to get a feel for it. Occasionally he would lunge out and bite the arm or leg of an undead drow; the limb would almost always come away in his jaws and he would happily devour it as he wove almost drunkenly through the area. The drow he left wounded were quickly finished by the other spirits or dissipated from their wounds.  
"This area has certain energy to it," the Skylander muttered to himself. "That must be why other parts of the city aren't seeing this." Ghost Roaster could _feel_ the force that held residual energies when life otherwise fled a body and granted it a reanimation of sorts. It was the same force that had turned Hex, Rider and himself undead to begin with. The only difference was it was weaker in that particular spot and could only affect those who had died in it.  
If it had been possible the ghoul would have been salivating by that point. He had all the information he needed; it was safe for Sprocket and Lightning Rod to remain in the area as well as for the casters of the allied forces to join them. "Get in mah belly!" Ghost Roaster cackled as he took a dive into the street.

Like a shark, complete with a mock dorsal fin, Ghost Roaster wound his way back through the streets he had skimmed through. Also like a shark he would pop up and snap a drow specter up whole in his jaws. In his skull form the ghoul was nothing but an enormous skull and could easily swallow the drow whole. When he faded into ectoplasm mode he became invulnerable to attack and that had been what allowed him to swim through the ground as he did. Those that became aware of what he was doing tried to throw down their weapons and flee. Even if Ghost Roaster didn't catch them one of the Uzernian spirits did.  
"That one tasted like licorice, I _hate_ licorice!" Ghost Roaster coughed. He temporarily reverted to his usual legless tapering body form and shook his head like a dog would shake an animal it just caught. He reached out to snag the nearest spectral drow and bit down on the unfortunate entity's shoulder. "Beder," he said around a mouthful. The ghostly drow wailed and tried to beat the Skylander off his shoulder using the pummel of his blade. It clicked and banged against the Skylander's naked skull but didn't seem to accomplish anything.

"This is disgusting," Sprocket said with an expression to match it. "End them quickly, if I have to watch Olav eat any more specters I might be sick." She simply wouldn't give up and kept rapidly building the turrets that only she could assemble so quickly. Her turrets may not have been able to finish off the undead drow but they did at least scatter them and force them to pull themselves together again. Sprocket was fascinated by the mist that coalesced into recognizable forms again. Once scattered if she fanned the mist it would swirl out and apart again thereby leaving the specter impotent that much longer.  
"I am doing what I can," Rod assured her. He didn't dare chance his more powerful lightning strikes for fear of inadvertently taking out the allied spirits. "And so are they." Normal soldiers began to arrive and drew their weapons to confront the drow ghosts. All was for naught though, the armored elves were the only ones that took damage and some still refused to retreat even after learning of their ineffectiveness.

Trying her best to ignore her surroundings, Sprocket once again reached into her tool bag. Like Pop Fizz's potion sack it was enchanted; unlike his Sprocket's had a double enchantment. As well as the one that allowed her to repeatedly pull out items that never seemed to run out it also shrank them. Anything she thought she might need was stowed in that pouch. Unlike Pop Fizz's potion sack hers had a method to remove items she no longer wanted to carry without re-spawning them. She was beginning to get the sinking feeling that she had removed one of the components she needed to alter a turret for use against ghosts. "Oil spill," she spat in frustration. "I can't find it." The golding threw her pouch down in anger and stood up in a huff. Sprocket flicked her wrist out quickly a few times and sent mines flying towards the ghostly drow.  
Rod didn't say a thing; he merely let her work out her frustration. He did however aid her as discretely as he could by hiding lightning strikes in her mine explosions to give her a more satisfying reaction.

It was amazing the things a Skylander picked up from their time on Earth. As Ghost Roaster snapped up drow specters he hummed the theme from "Jaws" and even if his opponents wouldn't get it the ghoul thought it was hilarious. The newly risen ghosts had begun to lose interest in combat and had started to turn away and flee. They were so new to the ghost realm that they didn't yet understand the territory to know they didn't have to physically run but could simply manifest themselves in another location to quickly get away. All their running managed to do was make it easier for Ghost Roaster to snap them up, if they weren't tangled in combat with the friendly spirits they were fair game for him.

With a cackle the ghoul reverted to his legless form and used a sort of swimming motion to get through the air and head off a group of drow specters. "Leaving so soon?" he asked with a sly grin. "Why we haven't even had dinner!" One of the spirits cried out in alarm when a lightning strike from Rod hit him and began to break apart his ghostly body from the torso out. Ghost Roaster opened his jaws wide and took the head from another drow before he reared back and slowly chomped on the shoulders and torso. It looked much like a snake devouring prey, Ghost Roaster had even unhinged his jaw and the lower mandible floated below his skull to act as a pulling force to ensure the whole of the ghost would be devoured.

Luckily, unlike a snake eating Ghost Roaster's display was over very quickly. The other two drow just did have enough time to turn and take a few steps in another direction before the ghoul lashed out with his chain to trip one and ensnare another. "Again, won't you stay and join me for dinner?" the ghoul snickered. He knew his taunting was cruel but it had become such a part of his routine that it was hard to change. The drow wrapped up in his chain wasn't going anywhere so the ghoul happily turned his attention to the other drow. He had eaten well so far, the ghostly drow had that texture and flavor he so sought after.

"Where are those casters?" Commander Roghallach bellowed. When word had reached him of the spectral drow he set off immediately with a unit of soldiers to assess the threat and get the Skylanders out safely. He wasn't expecting what he saw and felt increasingly nervous as he watched the ghoulish undead Skylander devour the drow. The Fallen of Uzern were leery as well and would leave combat in an instant if he got too close to them with snapping jaws. Roghallach's own soldiers moved out of the ghoul's way as well. Friend or foe it was still very possible to be attacked on accident by their teammates, friendly fire was always a risk when melee was mixed with ranged and order broke down.

Even though it was useless the commander still drew his blade to at least block the attack from one of the spectral drow.  
_You!_ The ghost exclaimed. _I am this way because of you!_  
Roghallach didn't bother to answer; it was combat and not a heated argument. Honestly he didn't remember felling the drow but things often happened very quickly in combat. The ghostly swordsman snarled and pressed Roghallach into defense with a quick barrage of attacks. The commander could do nothing but defend and knew if he tried to attack it would be for nothing. He couldn't hurt the ghost, not without something to aid him in his endeavor at least. The elf would have rolled his eyes if he didn't need to be focused on his opponent; his blade had begun to glow as he thought about assistance. Other weapons in the hands of allies were similarly affected and it put the ghostly drow on the defense. The mages and magisters had finally arrived. Spells flew with abandon across the battle field and the drow began to fall. The Uzernian spirits quickly moved out of the area for their own safety and left the battle to the casters and soldiers that now bore enchanted weapons.

_You will not defeat me a second time!_ The ghost snarled to Roghallach. The commander found his opening and quickly thrust his blade into the ghost's chest. The drow clutched the sword and turned wide eyes on Roghallach as he burst apart into trailing mist. The commander's arm fell with nothing to hold the blade up and he smoothly turned to engage another spectral drow. It would be an easy battle, the risen drow were nowhere near the numbers they had been upon the first strike. "Make sure there is nowhere else in the city with this potential!" he shouted to a gargoyle that swooped overhead. The lizard-like creature waved back to let the commander know he had heard before he departed to inform others of the request.

Ghost Roaster was frantically hunting down the spectral drow, they were being vaporized by others faster than he could devour them and the ghoul wanted to enjoy as many of the dark apparitions as he could. Some had tried to take shelter among the friendly spirits and that was where Ghost Roaster honed in on them. He remained in his giant skull form to snap up as many drow as possible, it was the best way to ensure he got a full serving. A drow frantically flung himself to the side and Ghost Roaster adjusted his course without thinking.  
"Ghost! No!" Sprocket screamed suddenly.  
Ghost Roaster froze with his jaws slammed shut. Something wasn't right; he felt _two_ spirits thrash in his gullet but could only taste one. He couldn't see directly ahead of him when his jaws were open wide enough to swallow spectral bodies whole and he got the sinking feeling he had just crossed a line. The ghoul's large jaws opened again when the Skylander was surrounded very suddenly by stern looking Uzernian spirits dressed as priests and filled to the brim with holy magic.

"Oh Olav," Sprocket said quietly as she came up beside him. Behind her floated Rod with a look that the ghoul couldn't read. Ghost Roaster reverted to his normal size and form before he finally saw what had happened. Fading quickly as his limbs broke down into mist was a wounded Uzernian spirit next to a no less damaged drow ghost. "What have you done?" Sprocket nearly whispered.  
A spirit holding a staff longer than he was tall materialized between Ghost Roaster and the fading Uzernian spirit. _Why have you targeted us?_ He demanded. _This is our home and we have allowed you in its streets to aid us in removing the foulness of the drow. Why then, undead creature, do you turn on us?_  
"I did not mean it!" Ghost Roaster cried out in his defense, he had never been more terrified in his afterlife than at that moment. No one knew what happened to a ghost that was destroyed, most thought they simply ceased to be and Ghost Roaster hoped that one day he would be welcomed back to the Source of Light. The Skylander thought that he had to prove he was worthy of getting to that point and destruction might take that desire from him. "Forgive me, please!" he very nearly begged. The first time Ghost Roaster had devoured spirits he found himself burdened with the rattling ball and chain to warn other spirits of his presence. This spirit however possessed the power to utterly destroy him and Ghost Roaster wasn't ready for oblivion.

Uriel looked back to the ailing spirit; fear was the only emotion he saw in the elf's eyes. Another spirit, one without armor, ran through the crowd to gently lift the ailing spirit's head into her lap. Tears from an ethereal being were a strange sight but she shed plenty before the soldier broke apart completely into mist. The woman that had been holding him in her lap reached for the mist as if she could pull him together. It slipped easily through her ethereal fingers and dissipated into the air. The female spirit's shoulders sagged and she dropped her head to her chest. Uzern's Prime turned back to face Ghost Roaster. The Skylander was trembling and kept looking to Sprocket and Rod for assistance.  
"Wait," another voice called. Commander Roghallach stepped through the gathered crowd dotted with the living and undead alike. "Hold passing judgment on the Skylander. Return him to the palace plaza and set him in the company of his fellows to discuss the matter in a political fashion." Roghallach didn't say it but he was thinking of the repercussions the accident could have. It was just that, an accident. No matter how horrible it had been the Skylander had not intended it.

_The matter then goes to the Queen of Haven,_ Uriel agreed. _We lost others here this day,_ Uriel said as he looked back to the ranks of spirits behind him. _Each of the perpetrators has been brought to justice. Be that it was a malicious act or not we demand repentance._  
Roghallach held the gaze of the terrified Skylander, "We will do what we can to satisfy your needs and ensure that our good-standing with the Skylanders is not shattered." He looked back to Uriel and bowed, "I am deeply regretful for this transgression." Uriel nodded and with the flick of his wrist dismissed the other priests. He remained in place though as the living eirian and gargoyles slowly began to move away to finish sweeping the area for hidden drow.

Rod finally dared to breathe, repentance meant Ghost Roaster needed to understand his transgression and look at himself and what he did; possibly to make a change somewhere. It meant the spirits weren't calling for his execution but it still might hamper Ghost Roaster's work as a Skylander. The storm giant reached out and gently pulled Sprocket in close to still her trembling frame. "They wish for punishment but not total dissolution," he told her quietly.  
"By the light," Sprocket breathed out. "I am scared to step on a twig now lest I upset someone enough to shake our alliance with the nations of Tour."  
Rod ran his fingers through Sprocket's red hair in an effort to sooth her. "All is not lost. We can make an appeal to the queen and work out an agreement. She will see it as an accident as well and nothing more than a slap on the wrist will come of it. It happened during a careless moment while defending the holy city. Ghost Roaster will be fine in the end. More selective in his feeding but he will not be lost."  
Sprocket nodded awkwardly. She was ever so thankful she had her black lens goggles down over her eyes so no one could see the moisture in them. The drow were gone, the Skylanders needed to leave soon to prevent anything else from going wrong. Sprocket felt a chill when she realized if Kaos really wanted to destroy the Skylanders all he needed to do was turn their allies and kingdoms against them. It was only a matter of time before the would-be emperor figured it out himself.


	32. Surrealism and Illusion

**Surrealism and Illusion**

As when she had brought Camo and Windy in for the first time Seraphina had taken her companions to the Temple of Light in Meir Valan to get them accustomed to the journey they were about to take. It didn't cost the priestess any stamina to bring along the others; all she had to do was open the door and they could easily follow. They caught on quickly to how things worked; Seraphina didn't even have to alert Rider and Hex to the fact they could look how they wished. Both undead elves appeared in the temple as they had been before they joined the ranks of the undead. Hex, surprisingly, had been the daughter of a shoemaker and was dressed very modestly in a dress of wool with a work apron tied around her waist and wore sturdy, hardy shoes. Her skin was a rich aqua and her hair had been a medium shade of purple. How she had gone from shoemaker to sorceress was a question for another time. Hex quickly altered herself back into her undead visage and gave anyone that looked at her sideways a hard glare. Who she had been before the sorceress they knew was in the past and as far as Hex was concerned should remain there.

Rider was a country lord and gentleman, dressed in a quilted doublet with leather jerkin laid over it and opened from the chest up. His close fitting trousers were tucked into high boots and the hilt of a dagger stuck out of the right. He had to leave Fright behind but that didn't stop him from bearing a halberd. His skin was a pastel green and his hair a rich reddish brown. He chose to remain that way and seemed to rather enjoy not looking undead. He had always held himself as an individual with some sort of prestige, a country lord may not have been a wealthy or well renowned individual but he could at least blend in with the lords and ladies of the larger kingdoms if dressed in finery.

Likewise the copies had changed. Niall was no longer a Voodoodling; he now possessed a burnt sienna color with the traditional eirian metallic sheen and pale purple eyes with sandy blonde hair he kept layered to midway down his neck. His most striking feature was the pale scar that ran from the inside corner of his left eye to the outside corner. He wore a blue priest robe and carried a staff much like Uriel's that was far above his head and decorated with an ornate sunburst.  
Seraphina was her golden brown skinned self again in white priestess attire this time. Her staff wasn't as tall as Niall's but as his was a sign of rank it was to be expected. The golden tresses of her hair had been braided down her back much like Stealth wore hers.  
Eloryn had creamy champagne skin and raven hair that shone blue in the right light. She shared her sister's pale yellow eyes. The princess looked like a lady of her position at last in a powder blue gown with a golden circlet that dangled the golden hoop and egg shaped ruby of her personal seal over her forehead. Her black hair was rolled into a bun high on the back of her head.  
Anicetus was a coppery-gold skinned eirian again with platinum blonde hair tied back in a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck. He had chosen to wear armor emblazed with the stag that made his personal seal. The prince kept his hand on the hilt of his sword and his blue eyes drifted over the assembled group.

Meilyr was now copper skinned with a darker tone than Anicetus. His dark hair was shaggy but at least well kempt. He too had chosen to dress in armor and looked proud in it. What did tarnish the mood he was in came via Pop Fizz. The gremlin had altered his appearance as well, he looked strikingly like Meilyr now save for the fact he kept his blue fur and chose to make his armor neon green rather than steel grey. The Core had defended his choice by saying he wanted to know what the copies felt like and to give one of them a taste of what it was like to see someone else wearing their face. It was a surprisingly valid remark coming from the Skylander that thought shaking potions until they exploded in his face was a good time.

Cynder and Spyro took advantage of it as well. The two young dragons now towered over the rest of their party and their wingspan nearly filled the temple hall. They had taken adult forms in an effort to make themselves stronger against whatever trials might lie ahead. Their necks were long and graceful now, heads shaped like wedges with broad chests that tapered into streamlined bodies and powerful limbs with serpentine tails. Both dragons bore long horns that further added to their sinuous and elegant appearance. Stealth Elf, Flameslinger and Double Trouble had all chosen to remain as they had always been. Again Windy remained a copy of Whirlwind and received more than a few glances from the other members of her party.

"If everyone understands the basic principles of this venture we may depart," Seraphina finished her briefing with.  
"I'm not gonna make the same mistake twice. Not no way, not no how," Windy shook her head vehemently.  
"Speak to us if you struggle with _anything_," Anicetus added. "My sisters and I have done this before and can help you. There is no room for pride here." The prince looked right at Flameslinger when he spoke, he got the impression the elf was going to get cocky. He reminded Anicetus of himself in a way, a sobering thought to the prince. "Niall and Meilyr are no strangers to this sort of thing either and as non-psionics may be able to offer advice more suitable for you."  
"Oh yes, my advice has always been followed," Meilyr said with the roll of his eyes.

Even though she no longer hovered above the ground Seraphina still moved with a grace that could only be described as a glide. She reached the door and placed her hand on it before she stalled. "I will go first; as you feel ready to follow you may do so. Anicetus, will you please remain until everyone else has passed? Or Niall, I need someone familiar with this location to maintain its integrity for me when I depart." The two elves in question nodded their understanding.  
"Allow me, milady," Rider said with a bow before he gently took Seraphina's hand off the door and opened it for her. She gave a short curtsy in return and slipped her hand around his bent elbow to allow the knight to escort her over the threshold.  
"Ok, so he is not how you say completely sans espoir," Flameslinger grinned. He held his arm out in hopes Stealth would allow him to escort her. She cocked an eyebrow and simply strode past him to strut through the door on her own.

"What does that even mean?" Pop Fizz exclaimed with his arms up in the air. He looked utterly ridiculous as a blue, furry elf in neon green armor and hurt more than a few eyes when they looked at him.  
"It means 'without hope'," Niall surprised the others with his translation. "Vous essayez trop dur et la repousser," he told Flameslinger with an upturned palm. The green skinned elf gave an embarrassed smile and rubbed the back of his head before he shrugged.  
"I never knew you spoke another language!" Eloryn exclaimed with wide eyes.  
"Culture, my dear," Niall smirked. "And it helps when translating spells from foreign texts."  
"Nescio quot linguae?" Hex asked in yet another language.  
"Quinque," Niall bowed to her.  
"I am impressed, very good," Hex closed her eyes and curtsied to the priest.

"I'm gone," Pop Fizz exclaimed before he bustled through the door.  
Cynder cocked her head to the side as she looked at the door that was obviously too small to fit her and Spyro. Regardless she lowered her head and slipped it through. Miraculously she fit through without a problem. Her form seemed to flow like air as she walked through without a struggle.  
When Spyro tried to do the same he got stuck at the shoulders. "She made it look so easy," the dragon grumbled as he backed up with his tail swaying in agitation. He tried again before uttering a growl and reverting to his normal size. He darted through quickly as if he were afraid the others were looking at him like a lost cause.  
"Um," Meilyr hesitantly offered Hex his arm. He, as well as others, was utterly surprised when she took it.  
"Don't read too much into it," she said flatly. "I can see my limits and understand that in this case I should defer to a more experienced individual until I am comfortable on my own. Now, go," Hex commanded him.  
"Ye-yes ma'am," Meilyr replied as he led her quickly through the door and into the unknown.

"Can someone help me?" Windy was embarrassed to ask but felt if she didn't she might end up on her own. She was nervous after how the last time had messed with her head and really wanted someone by her side the whole time. She wasn't quite sure how to take Double Trouble's offer but accepted it nonetheless.  
"Nothing a Skylander can't handle, right little one?" the tiki man asked her with a strange toothy smile. It was hardly comforting but Windy nodded anyway. When Windy thought about it she wondered _why_ he had called her little. She was still pondering that thought as he walked alongside her through the door.  
Flameslinger clapped, "Oh no. I will not be of the last to enter. Princess Eloryn?" he swept into a deep bow before her.  
The champagne skinned eirian gave him a sweet smile as she glided up towards him and wrapped her hands around the arm he offered. She walked right next to him, closer than Hex or Seraphina had been to their escorts. Eloryn even went so far as to speak quietly into Flameslinger's ear as he walked her to the next area.

"Are you nervous?" Anicetus asked when he turned to find Niall had knelt down to pray.  
"It does not hurt to ask for a little extra help to get through trying times," the priest replied with his eyes closed. He stayed down a moment longer before he rose to his feet. "After you, Prince Anicetus," he held his hand out.  
Anicetus looked around the temple, "I think the first thing I am going to do when I go back home is sit in here for a while. I remember Seraphina would retreat to the temple all the time to clear her head and make peace with whatever had happened. Maybe there is something to it I have not yet discovered." Anicetus nodded to himself before he turned and stepped through the door. Niall was right behind him and without a mind to maintain the temple it dissolved into nothingness.

It was apparent how different time flowed in the psionic realm. It seemed that everyone had entered Timber's subconscious at once judging by how everyone was still looking around in awe by the time Niall had joined them.  
"What is this place?" Stealth asked with a shudder. It looked like a city but none she had ever seen. Every last building was made of metal and glass. There was no brick, wood or stone structures to be found. No organic matter like trees, grass or potted plants. The buildings were impossibly tall and the first thing anyone thought of was the elfwood trees without branches or leaves. There was no light source but everything was lit as if it were noon.

"It looks like a metropolis region from Earth," Rider commented. Only when Seraphina squeezed his arm did he realize he still held her hand in place near his elbow. He released her hand and continued to let his gaze drift through the dizzying display of buildings.  
The streets were wide in main avenues and narrow in side passages. The buildings were flush against the steel grey streets without any sidewalks to be found. There were no vehicles on the street, no lights at intersections and nothing else to indicate what the buildings might be or what their purpose was. No signs hung over doors, no people populated the area. It was a generic and sterile environment that felt alien and surreal.

"Windy," Seraphina asked suddenly, "What was Timber before he became a Tree Rexling?"  
"I… don't know," she blinked. "We never really speak about our pasts. Some mention family but no one wants to talk much about who they were and why they might have become the copy they are."  
Flameslinger pat Eloryn's hand where it still rest on his elbow and didn't seem worried when she kept it there. "I am thinking he is troll. Why is this important?"  
"It could determine the kind of obstacles we will face," the priestess replied.

"The city is a maze, how will we know where to go?" Anicetus asked as he paced ahead and glanced down several side streets. He looked out of place in the very modern city with his suit of medieval armor. "I think the buildings repeat. There are only so many blocks of them before they start over like a pattern."  
"Ugh, that sounds utterly thrilling," Stealth groaned. She finally noticed Eloryn standing with Flameslinger and seemed to try too hard to not care. The dark haired princess gave a soft smile and squeezed Flameslinger's arm.  
"Cynder, follow me," Spyro said. He was once again in adult form and moved quickly down the street away from the others before he spread his wings and propelled himself into the air. Cynder followed him and high above the buildings Spyro tilted his head to one side and Cynder moved to the tallest building before she perched atop it.

Now Spyro had a point of reference and could move out into the city at will. He had no idea what he was looking for but felt that he would know it when he found it.  
_Something that looks out of place is a good indication of where to go,_ Seraphina's voice inside his head startled the dragon and he missed a few wing beats in shock. The dragon curled his long, sinewy neck back halfway expecting to see her behind him. He saw only Cynder sitting tall and proud on the rooftop with her wings folded loosely at her side.  
"Where do I start?" Spyro said aloud not sure if she would hear him.  
_Where ever you feel compelled to. There is no right or wrong in this._

Spyro sighed, Anicetus wasn't kidding. From his vantage point the dragon could clearly see the repeating blocks of the city. They stretched out in exact straight lines, four by four before it was repeated over and over for as far as the eye could see. There was no sun but the light said it was early afternoon in the city with shadows cast straight down from the buildings. "This could take a while, Seraphina," he said slowly.  
_Take all the time you need,_ she replied without any sense of urgency.  
The purple dragon took one last glance back to Cynder to ensure he could see her atop the building before he set out to explore.

"What do we do?" Stealth asked with her eyes shaded to watch Spyro depart. "Do we just wait around for something to happen?"  
"Pretty much," Anicetus responded. The prince removed his sword belt and lowered himself into a seated position in front of a building. "It is not all haste and action," he said when he caught the looks of surprise from a few of the Cores. "It moves in a pace similar to the real world. Enjoy the downtime while you can."  
"Yes," Windy chimed in nervously. "This is nice for a change." She gave a strained laugh, as if she were a frequent visitor into the mindscapes.

Seraphina took a seat next to her brother and watched Rider pace about in front of her with his halberd tucked against his right side and tip pointed skyward.  
"The way you look at him," Anicetus whispered to his sister, "you are thinking of Kaelin."  
"Light, knowing Rider _and_ Hex is going to make it awkward when Kaelin returns tomorrow," Seraphina admitted. "They wear the same face, we wear the same face," she pointed to Hex. "When I hold him what if I can only think about how much like Rider he looks? What if he sees only Hex when he looks at me?"  
"I see my sister," Anicetus responded honestly. "I do not see a Hexling."  
"But that is because right now I _am_ me. I will have to be a Hexling when we return."  
Anicetus closed his eyes and rest his head against the metal of the building. "And that suddenly makes you someone different?"  
Seraphina smirked and hit her brother in an armored shoulder, "I see what you are getting at. Thank you, it will be good for both of us to feel comfortable with the hand fate has dealt us. We can retreat to familiar venues." She held her hand up and admired the slender fingers and skin tone she knew as hers. "When this is all over we have get to searching for Rafer and Teranika."  
"I know," Anicetus replied softly. His hand tightened into a fist, "If I ever see that good for nothing Portal Master again," he trailed off with a sigh. There was nothing he could do and it was pointless to hold a grudge.

Slow and steady made the pace of Spyro's wing beats. The air was different and while he didn't feel an updraft he could still manage to glide with minimal effort. The purple dragon tilted forward to sink into the towering buildings and listened to the change in the wind with the buildings there to add resistance. The city was so still and silent, Spyro couldn't even smell any changes in it. His flight had allowed him to cover a vast area in such a small time and when he swooped back up he could barely see Cynder in the distance. Without her positioned where she was Spyro would have been lost and separated from the others. The dragon's wings faltered for a moment and he turned quickly towards a narrow side street. In his current state Spyro was too large to fit into the tight space so he was forced to revert to his true size to fit. The dragon landed nimbly in the street and approached the open door cautiously. Every other door in the city was closed, it had to mean something.  
"I found an open door," Spyro said aloud.  
_Mark the area and return to us,_ Seraphina replied. _Do not venture in without us._  
Spyro shook his head, how did she hear him? He had taken a chance that she could and found himself pleasantly surprised when she did. "Er, how? There is nothing to use."  
_Create something, Spyro,_ she answered. _Imagine a beacon of fire atop the building or some other symbol we can recognize._  
"Fire, right," the dragon murmured to himself. He darted back up to the roof of the building and imagined a brass dragon supporting a bowl full of oil between its wings. Spyro reclaimed his temporary adult form and breathed fire to set it ablaze. The flames reached up high into the sky and he knew now they had a way to tell the area apart from the rest of the city.

Cynder's neck stretched up tall when she saw the fire. She stood up and leaned over the edge of the building expectantly. Her front claws clutched the metal overhang and she leaned out as if she intended to take flight.  
_Hold_, Seraphina's voice drifted into her thoughts suddenly._ That was Spyro marking our destination._  
The dark dragon nodded absently and sat back on her haunches to watch the returning form of Spyro. It seemed to take forever for him to return and only after he had angled down did Cynder too let herself slide off the top of the building to rejoin their companions.

"Now that we know where to go, how do we even get there?" Cynder asked. She arched her graceful neck down to look at the rest of their party restricted to the ground.  
Windy galloped off away from the rest of the party and followed in the footsteps of Cynder and Spyro by imagining herself in an adult form. Her unicorn heritage made her neck shorter and gave her feet a much more dainty appearance than her fellow dragons. She was no less graceful but had come out slightly smaller than them. Windy was confused by it; she had pictured herself much like them but didn't understand why the end result wasn't what she had expected. "I can still carry a rider or two, right?" she asked as she tried to compare the length of her back to that of Cynder and Spyro.  
"Oh no, my feet they are best when they are staying on the ground," Flameslinger said as he pointed furiously to the street. This I do not like."  
"So they can carry a total of six riders, eleven of us without wings. Two per dragon," Meilyr began to count. "Um, how do we do this?"

Hex glided off without a word and once at a safe distance from the party willed herself to change form. She smoothly transitioned into a great pale blue dragon with swooping black horns, thick black talons and leathery membranes the color of pitch stretched out between her delicate wing supports. Smooth black scales ran the length of her underbelly and ended at her narrow chin. "Now we can have eight riders," the newly made dragon Hex said proudly. She held her neck up high, the solid white of her eyes seemed to glow with the power and confidence she prided herself on.

"She catches on fast," Eloryn grinned. "I think you would make a pretty fearsome dragon yourself, Flame," she smiled warmly at the archer. She squeezed his arm and bat her eyes at him playfully.  
"You do?" he said as he stood up taller. Stealth's posture was a bit more rigid suddenly.  
"I will not need a ride," Seraphina said quickly with her golden wings in place once more. She narrowed her eyes at her sister and shook her head just barely. "Will you join me, Eloryn?" she prompted while motioning to her wings. _Stop whatever you are doing right now_, the elder princess warned her sister. _We do not need dissention among our ranks._  
_Come on Sera,_ Eloryn replied to her sister. Outwardly neither of them looked upset and they still joined in on the conversation for who would ride which dragon. _It is obvious he is hopeless when it comes to courting Stealth and _she_ likes him but wants him to be more gentlemanly before she responds. I am merely trying to prompt someone into action._  
_I do not like this method_, Seraphina sighed. _Leave it to them to figure out on their own._  
Eloryn nodded stiffly to her sister and let Flameslinger follow Stealth.

The four dragons lift off one by one with their riders in place. Spyro took Pop Fizz and Double Trouble while Cynder carried Stealth and Flameslinger. The former tried her hardest to give him the cold shoulder but the fact was she had agreed to ride with him. Sitting on Windy's back was the armored duo of Anicetus and Meilyr while Hex supported Rider and Niall. Ahead of the dragon trail was Seraphina on her golden wings and Eloryn with raven feathers tipped in blue.  
The younger princess had a sour look on her face; it wasn't that she was interested in Flameslinger the way she had led others to believe. Well, she did find him handsome but he wasn't her type. Rather it drove her absolutely nuts to see how he looked at Stealth when he thought no one was looking and the way Stealth looked at him likewise. If Eloryn could just spark some jealousy maybe Stealth would grow up, break tradition and go after what she wanted instead of waiting for him to man up himself. Seraphina had effectively put a stop to it though, Eloryn knew what she was doing and wouldn't have taken it far enough to get on Stealth's bad side.

"What can we expect?" Eloryn yelled over the sound of the wind as she pulled in next to her sister. Usually Eloryn enjoyed soaring through the mindscapes her sister set up for them on recreational trips but today she found it more of a chore.  
"Spyro never looked into the building," Seraphina shouted back. "I did not want him to enter without all of us present."  
The younger princess grunted and raised a hand to pat her hair and ensure it was still restrained in the bun. "I hate entering a mind in total disarray just so you know."  
"It cannot be helped," Seraphina replied. She picked up speed when she heard the voices from the riders Spyro carried grow clearer. She wanted to stay out of the way of the larger dragon's wings so as not to foul either one of them up during flight.

The lone fire burning brightly in the decorative brazier on the roof of the building was the only thing that set that one block out from the multitude of others exactly like it. Without the ability of flight it might have taken forever to find that solitary open door and the risk of losing everyone within the warren of streets was incredible. With the height of the buildings it seemingly took forever for the flyers to make their descent to the ground. Once down it was an additional wait for the riders to dismount from the dragons. Hex returned to her usual form and the other three reverted to smaller sizes to better fit through the door. They could change back into larger sizes as needed and perhaps being smaller would help them more with staying inconspicuous.

"So far this has been very easy. I hate this feeling of anticipation. It makes me feel like I'm expecting something so much that I might miss it," Stealth said. She had pointedly put herself between Flameslinger and Eloryn.  
Seraphina held her hand out, "Then let us see what awaits on the other side. And forgive me but each time we step into the unknown I want a train formed. Take hold of the person in front of you. Here if the mind wishes the door can change where it leads should we not be in contact with one another." Really all anyone needed to do was keep the intention of following their companions but with individuals not used to the rules of engagement it always helped to give them a 'physical' link.  
"I will bring up the rear," Anicetus offered. "Ladies first," he bowed to his sister.

The blue furred, neon green armored elf Pop Fizz sauntered up to Seraphina and took her hand with his best attempt at a formal bow. "May I, like escort you or something?" he grinned.  
Seraphina politely nodded her head and had to suppress the grin that wanted to come when Meilyr grabbed the Core's other arm with a scowl. One by one the others lined up, dragon wings were held gently by hands and in the case of a dragon following another a tail inevitably wound up between teeth.  
Anicetus brought up the rear and upon stepping through the door found something that baffled him.

The group had stepped right back out onto the city streets. It had changed drastically however, the light now said it was late afternoon with long and deep shadows. Only the upper most parts of the buildings were cast in any form of light and even then it wasn't much. The city was in ruins, taller buildings were nothing but twisted towers of metal and broken glass. The street was littered with debris in the form of steel beams, window frames and glass that had been pummeled into a fine dust. Some areas showed dented sections of the metal that made the street, other areas had been split open wide to reveal chasms and other parts jutted up to show the brown of earth below.  
"What happened?" Spyro asked in surprise. The dragon also noticed the heat in the area and even though there was a breeze it was hot and oppressive.  
"I don't like this place," Windy said with quivering ears. As with before she tried the trick Seraphina had used in Sprint's mind where she closed her eyes to get to somewhere new. Again it failed to work and Windy was greeted only with the backs of her eyelids.  
"Another maze, how quaint," Hex said flatly. "Am I to assume our previous method of finding the door will be employed again?"

"Maybe, maybe not. I want to get a better look at the city." Seraphina hadn't even warned anyone before she employed the use of her temporary golden wings and launched herself into the sky. It was easier to clear the buildings now since they were shorter. The first thing she noticed when she broke free of the metal and glass towers was the city no longer had repeating blocks. She saw structures that were unique in certain areas and some of the streets now bore curves instead of being lined up straight. The second thing Seraphina noticed was a desert swallowing the west side of the city. Huge dunes had poured in over the remains of buildings and buried some while taller structures jutted up like jagged teeth.

"What does it mean?" Double Trouble asked suddenly.  
Seraphina glanced to the tiki man, he stood on a glowing green disc that rotated lazily under his hovering form. "It could symbolize a loss or the desire to forget something. At the moment we have more important tasks than trying to figure out why we are seeing what we are."  
"There is life here," the Core said suddenly. He extended his staff out towards the southernmost edge of the desert in the west towards a line of tents and canopies. "Should we investigate?"  
"With the others. At this point I do not want anyone going on their own anywhere." Gracefully Seraphina rolled into a dive to land back in the debris strewn street.

"We have found tents in the desert," the priestess said once Double Trouble had reached the ground as well.  
"Desert?" Stealth asked, "We are in the middle of a desert?"  
"Oh! Ice cream, cake, pie? Maybe cookies?" Pop Fizz asked hopefully.  
"Not dessert, desert!" Meilyr groaned with a hand over his face.  
"Aww," Pop Fizz rolled his shoulders forward in defeat, "Dessert sounds more fun."  
"Of course it does," Hex snorted. "Do we follow the same course as before with flight?"

Seraphina shook her head, "I want to do something different this time. Flight would give us away and we do not yet know if who we meet would be friendly." The eirian tapped her chin in thought as she looked around the area. "I would like to request the assistance of a caster."  
"At your service," Double Trouble glided towards her.  
"Draw a door here in eldritch energy," the priestess said with a tap to the metal building she had approached.  
The Core raised his staff and hesitated, "Where should it lead?"  
"Leave the details to me, I just need you to help with the door outline."

"Is it possible that this could have been done instead of flying earlier?" Flameslinger raised the question.  
"Yes," Seraphina replied. "But I wish to involve everyone in this voyage to keep your minds sharp and active. I will step in only when there is no other way."  
"Then I am to be guessing that it is because of haste we use magic doors?"  
"Yes," Stealth replied. "You are to be guessing right," she added to poke fun of how Flameslinger asked the question. The remark flew clear over his head but got a snicker out of Meilyr and Pop Fizz.

Double Trouble knocked three times on the door when Seraphina nodded her approval and bright light flooded the shadowed corridor as it opened into a dusty desert scene. Golden sand swirled in and Windy howled in terror before she tried to run the opposite way.  
"It is just sand!" Seraphina yelled after her. "Not black, it is not them!" The priestess scowled and made to give chase. "No one goes through until I bring her back. Someone explain nightmare crawlers for those giving me confused looks." Just like that she took off after Windy, her strides seemingly longer than possible and her pace greatly increased.

"Nightmare crawlers?" Rider repeated. "Is this some new foe we will have to face?" He turned back around to look through the magical door just in case.  
"If we are lucky, no," Anicetus shook his head. "But just in case I can give you the basics." The prince went through all that he knew of them, how hard they were to defeat and how they weren't truly gone unless the mind that they were borne from banished them.  
"I have never dealt with them before," Eloryn admitted. "Anicetus and Niall have though."  
"I have seen them but not faced them. Believe me, there will be no mistaking what they are when you see them. Ugly little sods they are," Meilyr shuddered.  
"Nothing I can't handle," Pop Fizz flexed in his temporary elven form.  
"Do you even know how to wield that sword strapped to your hip?" Hex snorted.  
"Are you serious, have you ever _seen_ him with one before?" Spyro asked with the shake of his head.  
"I'll stick to what I know and you stick to what you know," Pop Fizz said with one squinted eye and an accusing finger pointed towards Hex.

Windy took several random turns as she fled the scene. Her heart was pounding for multiple reasons; the first of course was fear over the return of the nightmare crawlers. The second from running and the third because she realized she had just separated herself from her companions.  
"Oh no," the Whirlwindling whispered to herself as she turned in a slow circle with her ears and wings both down. "I'm lost."  
"Not entirely," Seraphina said as she rounded a corner and slowed down to a trot then walk and finally stopped a few feet from Windy. "You cannot do that, Windy!" the eirian scolded her. "It is dangerous to get lost. If you let your mind wander too much you could forget where you are and become trapped here in an altered reality that you believe to be true."  
Windy sat down with a sigh and held her head down low, "I think this it too wonk for me. I'm going to get through this one and sit the others out. I feel tired in a way I've never felt before."  
Seraphina walked up next to her and sat down beside her with her knees drawn to her chest and arms wrapped around them. "It is an exhausting experience. Your body thinks everything that happens here is happening for real. Your heart really is pounding and your muscles are working. It takes a while to separate your mental exertions from physical ones. Even then it can still wear you out. I have my work cut out for me. Come on, we need to get back to the others."

Seraphina rose to her feet and a glowing vortex that Windy recognized as a portal opened nearby. "You're a Portal Master?" she gawked.  
"No," Seraphina shook her head, "this is just my psionics at work in a field I can apply such a thing to. It will not work in Skylands, at least I have yet to figure out how to make it work. I felt a familiar sight would help you trust the shortcut more. In my haste to follow you I did not take note of what turns were made. This way will get us back to the others quickly and easily."  
"It's just sand? No nightmare crawlers?"  
Seraphina lowered her head and closed her eyes, "None yet."  
"I was afraid you'd say that," the blue hybrid sighed. She climbed to her feet and turned to stare at the portal. "I guess the sooner we get this over with the sooner I can get back to check on Sprint."  
The eirian smiled, "That is the spirit."

The all too familiar portal flash startled the group awaiting the return of the two individuals that had become separated.  
"Portal Masters can still operate portals in someone's _mind_?" Cynder seemed horrified by the thought.  
"It wasn't a Portal Master," Windy told her. "It was Seraphina," she nodded her head towards the priestess. "She said it was just her imagination that did it. Like when you, Spyro and me took adult forms and Hex became a dragon."  
"Anything is possible here," Seraphina nodded. "Use your imagination, that was what I was told when I first began to learn. Think like a child and believe nothing is impossible. It works for your dreams as well if you care to give it a try sometime."  
"So for as long as we are here we can get a taste of what it is like to be a psionic?" Stealth questioned.  
"Absolutely. Just… make sure you do not get so carried away you forget what you have changed. It is rather unpleasant to suddenly lose control of things." The way Niall spoke said he knew from experience.

"As with before we go through in a train," Seraphina prompted. "This time I will bring up the rear so I can close the door behind us."  
"I'll lead," Spyro said with his chest thrust out. Of course Cynder was right behind him and others followed in a way that almost looked like they were eager to show they had no fear. As hot as it was in the city once they stepped into the sand and direct light it became nearly unbearable.  
"The sand, it does not taste very good," Flameslinger spat multiple times.  
"Doesn't bother me," Stealth shrugged. With the mask she wore it was no wonder.  
"Just close your mouth," Hex grumbled as she glided past the others and towards the first of many dunes. The sorceress turned back around once she was on ground higher than the others. "What should we expect, what do the tents hold?"

Seraphina stepped away from the hovering door before it dissolved behind her. She planted the butt of her staff firmly in the sand and looked past Hex. "I sense nothing. That is not to say we will find nothing. I can only sense individual minds and anything we meet here is tied to Timber. Because we are in the corridors of his mind I constantly sense him."  
Cynder cocked her head to the side, it wasn't that she had gotten used to the psionic's ability to detect others but now that it was missing she found herself anxious. "So here you're not able to give us warnings?"  
"That is not entirely true, nightmare crawlers are the exceptions. You will be grateful for that fact alone," Eloryn replied. "If I had _my_ clairvoyance I could better predict what we might run into. But Uzern has yet to see fit to return it to me." The princess shot a look to her older sister and younger brother.  
"Later, Eloryn," Niall warned her. "This is not the place nor the time to pine over a perceived slight." He moved up alongside Hex and pushed beyond her to crest the dune. The priest shielded his eyes and stood still except for the wind that whipped about his short hair and blue robe. "The tents are ragged. It is possible they are abandoned."

"Then we send scouts," Stealth said quickly. "I will go with one other." As an afterthought Stealth decided to alter her black clothing to a sandy golden brown to better blend with the desert. She admired her handiwork, it really was that easy to make changes.  
Double Trouble volunteered himself before Flameslinger or Meilyr could, "Allow me." The tiki man followed her lead and shifted his own colors to become transparent. Depending upon how someone looked at him he could be colored like the sky, sand or whatever was behind him. "I like this place," he chuckled as he held his staff out before him to watch it shift colors with the landscape. "No spells to learn. Psionics must find it so easy to do whatever they want."  
"It drains stamina," Anicetus responded with his arms across his chest. "The longer you maintain the illusion of change the more you will feel it. If you feel tired, any of you," he swept his eyes over the group, "let your altered state fade back into the true you."

After a few quick reminders the two scouts set out to climb the dunes to where the ground leveled out in a wide enough path to allow a small camp of about seven tents spaced out evenly to occupy. Stealth was glad it had been Double Trouble to come with her, he hovered soundlessly over the ground and kept all comments to himself. That was a feat however, Double Trouble rather liked to talk and was known to prattle on about topics even after his audience had fallen asleep.  
Stealth held a hand up with the palm parallel to the sand and crouched down. The tiki man complied and made himself smaller in turn. She glanced sideways and raised a finger to her mask covered lips when the tattered remains of a streamer style flag peaked over the edge with a change in the wind. Double Trouble tightened the grip he had on his staff and nodded that he was ready.

Stealth ticked off numbers on her hand and when she held no more fingers up the two Skylanders darted over the edge and pressed themselves flat against the fabric wall of the nearest tent. It was filthy and weather beaten, holes from the abrasive sand were evident all over it. Stealth knelt down and held her breath as she dared to look into the tent via one of the holes. She found nothing, it was devoid of anything besides sand strewn over the rug that had been placed as a temporary floor.  
The tent seemed to exhale when the wind changed direction and the flapping streamers atop each tent slapped against the sides before they righted themselves again. Stealth got Double Trouble's attention and pointed around the tent before she crept around it. The tiki man followed, the feathers of his headdress whipped around in the wind and changed colors wildly to match the objects behind them.

One by one the tents were checked and each one was found to be in much the same state as the others. Finally there was but one tent to check, now that they were so close the Skylanders could tell it was a different color than the others. It had markings as well; so faded and worn that from a distance it would look the same as all the rest. Stealth had Double Trouble move around one side while she moved around the other. If there was anything there with luck the two of them would give it pause. The elf barely dared to breathe as she approached the tent flap, it faced away from the rest of the tents for some reason. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw a shimmering distortion creep around near the flap, she settled when she realized it was only Double Trouble. Again Stealth held up her hand, this time three fingers. She ticked them down one by one and shook her closed fist to signal movement.

The two Skylanders rounded both sides of the flap at once and pushed into the structure. They stopped suddenly and Double Trouble mumbled something in that strange language again. In unison both raised an arm to their faces to block the stench that hit them like a blunt object.  
"What _is_ it?" Stealth dared to ask. She coughed a few times and gasped for air through her mouth rather than nose.  
"Something that spells danger," Double Trouble replied. The tiki man always wore a sinister grin on his strangely expressive mask but now it was a look of shock. He put his arm out when Stealth tried to step closer. "No, we wait for the others. I do not like what this foreshadows," he said softly. Double Trouble turned around and ushered Stealth back out of the tent. "Move quickly," he said with an urgency that made Stealth's spine tingle. "Our time is short. This is mākutu."


	33. The Waiting Game

**The Waiting Game**

Ghost Roaster floated silently in the middle of his escort consisting of mages and magisters. The ghoul wasn't bound by any spells but the presence of so many casters let him know that if they were needed there was no shortage of individuals capable of restraining him. He did his best to keep his head up and face devoid of any expression that might give away what he was thinking. All the ghoul could think about though was how disappointed Eon would be with him. Eon had taken Ghost Roaster in when he thought he was lost, the old Portal Master had given him purpose and how had he repaid the Grandmaster?

Olav sighed and lowered his head, _How these elves must think all undead are tactless, arrogant fools._ First Hex's insult then his assault on something sacred. _It was an accident_, he told himself. _Certainly they can see it as such. I never meant to harm the Uzern spirits._ Maybe not all undead Skylanders had a bad reputation, as far as Olav knew Cynder and Rider had gotten along well the royal family of Meir Valan. The ghoul groaned, Hex's slight had been against _that_ ruling family and his was against Haven's family. Two separate kingdoms had been insulted. _Eon's gonna kill me. Again_, the undead Skylander pined.

The procession wound its way through the streets of Uzern. Sprocket and Rod walked some distance behind Ghost Roaster's escort. The usually unflappable Sprocket had her hands clenched under her chin and Rod's arm around her shoulders. She and Rod had a certain sort of camaraderie between them that often got them teased by others. Sprocket saw the air elemental as a surrogate brother and he saw her as a surrogate sister, nothing more.  
The two walked freely, it was Olav that had landed himself in trouble after all. Still it almost felt as if they were being watched by the soldiers that followed behind them in rank. Sprocket pulled away from Rod and sighed deeply before she ran her hands over her face, "What a wonderful mess we've gotten ourselves into."  
"I am confident it will be nowhere near as severe as the… last transgression," Rod informed her.  
"I'm so embarrassed!" Sprocket admitted. "Twice now we've given the kingdoms of Tour a slap in the face."  
"Calm yourself, dear," Rod said gently. The air Skylander listened for a moment to the muted conversation Commander Roghallach was having with an officer. He seemed to be stressing the importance of holding the Skylander in custody but without making him feel like a prisoner.

"Have we not had similar situations before, particularly among ourselves?" Rod questioned once he tore his attention away from the elven commander. "I distinctly remember plenty of scuffles between elemental groups. Fire and water coming to mind first. We are so diverse, conflict will happen from time to time. No one has left the Skylanders over elemental skirmishes correct?"  
"No," Sprocket shook her head. "And we've always come through misunderstandings between us and other factions. It still doesn't make it feel any less worrisome." Sprocket fell silent when the gates to the palace plaza finally came into view. She exhaled slowly and took a deep breath that she held for a moment before she let it out slowly. Rod himself had grown silent and seemed to be preparing himself for their return.

"Oi!" Ignitor called from the side. He waved one arm to draw attention to him. Rather than running to meet Rod and Sprocket he stayed back and paced the soldiers they were with. Slam Bam wasn't far behind him and neither was Flynn; the latter was busy talking Slam Bam's ear off about how heroic he was with the drow and how much he wished Cali had been there to see him in action.  
"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" the yeti asked his fellow Skylander.  
"About how much more awesome your adventures are when I'm there? Sorry to disappoint ya but a pilot of my renown can't be everywhere at once," Flynn sniffed as he straightened his aviator jacket. "Yep, I got Skylanders all over the place lining up just for a chance to fly with me." He made a show of dusting off his arm and flashed his most charming grin every time he caught someone looking at him.  
"Ghost Roaster slipped," Ignitor nodded and pushed away Flynn's comment.  
The yeti hissed and rubbed the back of his head, "Real smooth allowin' him to come to an all-you-can-eat buffet."  
Ignitor nearly reminded Slam Bam of how he had so eloquently called the royal family in the palace plaza freaks but decided better of it. "With luck we can talk our way out of this. I'm sure it was naught but an accident."  
"Hex'll be so proud of him."  
"Shh," Ignitor hissed in irritation.

Had it been possible Olav's cheeks would have been a flaming red from embarrassment. He was going to have to face the rest of his team sooner or later. At least Slam Bam hadn't taken to flinging insults his way. Yet that was; it was nearly unavoidable. Between Slam Bam and Terrafin any insults the enemy used seemed old and stale. Be that a good or bad thing no one had quite figured out yet.  
"Oh what in the name of the Eternal Water Source happened!" Gill exclaimed as he met the escort at the palace gate. The gillman stood still with his back up straight and mouth slightly agape as the gargoyle magisters and elven mages passed him. Ghost Roaster made eye contact with him and a deeply rooted sense of remorse and embarrassment bubbled to the surface with that one glance. Gill rubbed his head then trailed his palm over his eyes before settling over his mouth. His other hand came up to rest on his hip.  
"What seems to be the matter?" Swarm asked from behind.

Gill jumped and whirled quickly on the giant, how had someone so large managed to sneak up so quietly on him? "I don't know. But it doesn't look good."  
"The Commander," Swarm pointed when Roghallach strode through the gates. About the same time he entered so too did Sprocket and Lightning Rod followed at last by Ignitor, Slam Bam and Flynn.  
"Sprocket, what happened? You're shaking!" Gill shuffled up to the golding to place a webbed hand on her shoulder before he looked to Rod. Slam Bam and Ignitor were similarly focused on the air Skylander.  
"It was an accident," Rod began at first. He glanced to the side when the elven commander joined them. Roghallach nodded in indication that it was alright for Rod to relay the story. He began with the sudden spawning of drow ghosts, the resulting battle then moved to Ghost Roaster's appetite before he finally relayed the events that turned the whole thing on its head.

Roghallach picked up when the Skylanders fell silent. "Uriel, the spirit of the Prime High Priest here in Uzern has stated that he only wishes for your fellow Skylander to repent for what he has done. The issue still needs to be taken to the Queen of Haven to make anything official."  
Gill's mouth went dry and he found his tongue stuck to the roof of it. The gillman licked his lips then swallowed hard. "Oh, I see." He placed both hands atop his head. "Eon should be present for this."  
"Repent, isn't that normally groveling for your life?" Surprise was clearly painted on Slam Bam's face. "There's no way Eon'll let you keep him from his duties as a Skylander. His Portal Master too won't go for it."  
The elven commander held his hand up, "I will speak with Queen Elanniah on your behalf. I take full responsibility for Ghost Roaster as he was under my command at the time. I will do what I can to satisfy all parties involved."  
"My Portal Master is active," Swarm said suddenly. "May I have leave to summon Grandmaster Eon?"

Commander Roghallach nodded. "Summon him to the palace in Haven if you would please. As soon as your companions return and Seraphina releases the rest I will take you directly to the Queen."  
"Instead of returning heroes we go to trial," Ignitor shook his head. "Never gets old being a Skylander, I can vouch for that."  
"Who's on trial?" Apparently Flynn had been off in his own world for the beginning of the conversation. "Hey uh, Roaster there doesn't look too happy." He looked between the Skylanders and the elven commander, no one seemed to be willing to fill him in so he simply shrugged and walked around the group.

Ginny-Li got up suddenly from where she had been conversing with the casters that still held Asmodeus in check. She watched Flynn saunter up to the group of Skylanders that formed a ring around Timber and excused herself to intervene. Wraith, Nivaeus and Crevan had entered the palace earlier to take a look at the war room the drow had set up while she remained in the plaza. "I wouldn't touch anyone," the Ninjiniling said when Flynn reached out with a single finger to poke at Spyro. "Not unless you want to wind up where they are."  
Flynn jerked his hand back quickly and looked up at the taller giant when she had reached him. "Betcha I could handle it. Nothin' gets the drop on Flynn. Eyes like a hawk; reflexes like a cat and Light-gifted good looks. BOOM!" he exclaimed as he struck a pose.  
"Uh-huh," Ginny-Li replied with a roll of her solid white eyes. She reached out and took Flynn by the shoulder with one large hand and guided him away from the group involved in the mindscape effort to free Timber. "Go sit down somewhere and be quiet, please. Or find someone willing to take you back to your aircraft so that you might leave us in peace."  
Flynn looked over his shoulder at the giant; she wasn't even looking at him as she spoke. He whipped his head around the other way in time to see Swarm vanish through a portal. "You just might miss that ship, or you know, me," he flashed a grin.  
"Go, just go," Ginny-Li sighed. She ran her hand over the top of her red hair and sent her fingers through the ponytail before she turned away from the annoying little mabu.

"Commander," the giant said with the thump of her fist against her chest. "I find my curiosity piqued over the state of the Core." She noted the varying expressions on the other Cores in the area and instantly put the story together. "Never mind," she held her hand up when Roghallach's lips parted to retell the tale. "I believe I understand. Will Queen Elanniah expect myself and my clanmates?"  
"It is possible but not likely. You were not present at the moment of the incident. You may travel with us on the chance she does wish to speak with every Skylander that was in Uzern."  
Ginny-Li looked back to the psionic circle. "I go only if they have returned by then."  
"How will this affect the rest of us?" Sprocket asked. She timidly moved up to the commander. The way she moved, the way she held herself with slumped shoulders and the way she spoke were so very different from her usually confident mannerisms.  
"Hopefully not at all, it was an accident and there was only one Skylander involved. It is unfortunate the spirit did not survive the encounter. I believe as it was only a single individual and Ghost Roaster did not devour him that there is much more of a chance for a lesser punishment." Roghallach cringed, he made it sound like to light a matter but he didn't want to upset the Core any more than she already was.  
Gill laughed nervously, "If the worst that comes of it is a ban from ever returning to Uzern I will gladly accept it." The other Cores nodded their agreement. "If we lose Ghost Roaster, even if just temporarily I'm not sure how it'll affect things. The other Portal Masters will most certainly hear of it and they may send their own Skylanders to investigate. Ghost's _own_ Portal Master will have something to say. Does anyone know how it is?" Gill found only shakes of heads as a reply.

"The sending of other Skylanders cannot be permissible," Ignitor stated firmly. "This event _is_ an accident and if other Skylanders and Portal Masters become involved it will bloom into something more. I am hopeful of Queen Elanniah's understanding?" The question was aimed specifically at Roghallach.  
Roghallach nodded, "You shall have it. Ghost Roaster may not come away clean but he will not be less than he is either."  
"So, it's a waiting game now?" Slam Bam questioned. "We just sit around and wait for the rest of our team in the field to return?" He ran a glance from the place gate to the group huddled in a trance. He nodded slowly when he got his answer. "Right, remind me never to vacation here. Too much red tape."  
"We are just very apt at finding it, I believe," Lightning Rod offered a small smile.

Far from Uzern the night looked different and foreign on Earth. Lights chased away the shadows along streets and in the parking lots of shopping centers and their various businesses. Night life on Earth was different from night life in Skylands, Earth had a thriving and bustling industry that came alive when the sun went down while Skylands became sleepy and quiet. The night air was still warm and humid as Sean, Portal Master to Seraphina and Eloryn, departed a restaurant alongside several co-workers. The Portal Master looked tired and his wrinkled shirt and tie only further aided the impression.  
"Thank you again for working long hours recently, everyone," a balding gentleman with a round midsection said as he turned to the other five people with him. "Thank you as well for joining me for dinner tonight. We've closed the deal at last and no one could be more pleased than I am. Except maybe for you," he chuckled.  
"You work us like _dogs_, Charles. But thanks for dinner." A short and thin black haired man in thick rimmed glasses said as he pat his belly.  
A tall, equally thin woman with rich chocolate skin excused herself to pull her ringing cell from her purse before she started a hushed conversation with what sounded to be one of her children.

"Sean!" the blading man chuckled as he walked up to the rumpled looking salesman. "The star of the hour! If not for your tireless efforts we would never have closed this deal." He clapped Sean on the shoulders with both hands. "Are you going to be ok to drive? You took every drink the others bought you."  
Sean rubbed at his left eye with the palm of his hand. "I think I might call a cab to be honest. I don't want to leave my car behind though."  
"I'll help you get it back home," the second woman of the group said. She was shorter than anyone else with lighter skin and dark hair. "Ed rode with me and if I remember correctly he lives near you. He could take your car and from there I'll get him home."  
"Sounds like a plan to me," Ed, the man in question replied. He was a middle aged gentleman with black hair peppered with grey just like his neatly trimmed moustache and goatee.  
"Very well," Charles said as he handed Sean's car keys over to Ed. Charles had asked for them after Sean's third drink and told him he would hold them until the next day if needed. "With that I shall see you Monday," Charles told the group.

"You're not coming in tomorrow?" the woman that had been on the phone asked.  
"Oh I am, but I am giving all of you the day off," he said with a grin as he ran his finger around the group. "You've earned it."  
"Oh thank goodness," the short man in glasses exclaimed. "My mother in law is coming in tomorrow and if the house isn't in pristine condition I think Cindy might have kittens." He gave a nervous grin at the laughter than came from the others. "She was upset with me over missing dinner. I love my wife to death but that recipe she has for tuna casserole should be _burned._"  
"Drive safe," Charles called with a wave before he slipped his hands into his pocket to nab his keys and walked off whistling.

"There's a curb there, Sean," Ed laughed when his co-worker stumbled over it and turned back in surprise to stare at it. "You want to ride with Shelia or me?"  
"Sean hates my music, of course he's going to ride with you," Sheila grinned. "Both of you are into that death metal stuff." Sheila shuddered at it, give her good old fashioned country any day of the week and she was fine. None of that pop wanna-be stuff for her.

"The clicker doesn't work, needs batteries," Sean said from the passenger door when Ed began to grumble about the remote not working. "It's the long key with the black handle." Sean rest his head against the door as Ed slipped the key into the driver's lock and hit the button on the inside to pop the locks. Sean lingered for a moment more; the metal was cool against his head even in the humid air. Sean sat down heavily in the seat and fumbled with the seatbelt while Ed waited patiently.  
"Oh blast," Ed murmured.  
"What?" Sean held onto the handle above the door as Ed backed up.  
"I left my briefcase in Shelia's car. I've got something I've been meaning to give you. My son recently decided he was going to give away his entire Skylander collection. I remember you said you collected them and managed to snag one of them from him. The little toy's been in my briefcase for days now."

The mention of Skylanders sobered Sean up quickly. "He's getting rid of them? How many does he have, I'll take them all!"  
Ed shook his head and merged with traffic, "I only got the one from him. The rest are long gone."  
"What did you manage to save?"  
"A woman elf, I think she's an elf. She's got long ears. Dressed in dark colors like a ninja and her skin is gold. He said it was a Legendary character."  
"Stealth Elf," Sean murmured. His mind began to work in jerky spurts and he cursed the alcohol he had consumed.  
"Yeah! That's the name he gave her." Ed adjusted the rearview mirror to make sure Sheila was still behind them.  
"Your son is… Sam?" Sean questioned.  
"Oh I have named the hormonal teenager before haven't I?" Ed chuckled.

Sean's heart was in his throat, he swallowed a few times to get rid of the lump. His name was Sam, he had just given up his Skylanders and one was a Stealth Elfling. Seraphina and Eloryn were looking for their cousin, a Stealthling that had just been traded off by her Portal Master because he thought he had outgrown Skylanders. It seemed like it was too much to hope for but Sean couldn't put the thought to rest. He had to know. "Well just wait until we pull up to the house. You can finally take that toy out of your briefcase. Have you gone to meetings with it there?" Sean grinned.  
"Oh yes," Ed rolled his eyes. "One of my clients went on about how her six year old and nine year old are obsessed with the game. I almost tried to get a few of Sam's Skylander to give her as an ice breaker for the deal."

The rest of the ride was in silence for the most part, if loud music and two grown men singing along with it and drumming on the dash or steering wheel could be considered quiet. Sean allowed Ed to rock out to the rest of the song before he opened his door and shut the music off. "Thanks for bringing my car in." Sean looked up when light splashed over him and Sheila pulled up in the driveway to idle behind.  
"No problem, you've done it for me before." Ed tossed Sean the keys and locked the doors. "Get yourself showered and in bed. Or at least in bed, you're dead on your feet!" he laughed.  
"I will, trust me," Sean gave a weak smile. He walked up to Sheila's window and wished her a good night before Ed stood up after he rummaged through his case to find the Skylander.  
"All yours," Ed said as he tossed the figure to Sean.  
Sean caught the Stealthling and held her gently in his hands. "I've got you, you're safe," he whispered to her. The Portal Master looked up again and stepped back before he waved at the duo in the car. Sheila put it in reverse and pulled out to take Ed home, he lived only three blocks away. Three blocks away and Sean missed an opportunity to save the unwanted Skylanders.

Sean didn't go inside immediately; his roommate was home and blaring loud music so he wasn't going to be able to converse with the Stealthling over it. "Can you hear me?" he asked the figure. She was silent for a while.  
"By the Light," the Stealthling finally replied in awe, "Sean?" she asked in a voice that cracked.  
"Teranika," he smiled at her. "Hello." Sean's heart ached; oh he could have saved her sooner had he known!  
"Sean!" the figure wailed. Her sobs were loud but due to the curse her tiny body was frozen solid. "Oh Sean. It was horrible."  
"I know Lady Teranika. I am so sorry I wasn't there sooner," he said in an effort to console her. Sean opened up the passenger side back door of his car and sat down for a while with Teranika in hand. "I have you now and I promise I will find Rafer for you." Sean merely sat in silence while Teranika alternated between sobs and retelling the story of Sam's disenchantment with the Skylanders.

The interior of Uzern's palace was vastly different from the outside. The servants that haunted its halls kept everything in order. There was no layer of dust on anything; the plants that grew in the halls were well tended and not wild in the least. It was like walking into the seat of power for a city still alive and thriving.  
The spirits within bowed in respect to the elven soldiers, gargoyle warriors and three Skylanders that wandered the halls. At the moment the Skylanders were sequestered in the war room with Wolf Dreamer and his mate Corn Silk, the Alpha pair for the Wolf Clan gargoyles. Wraith was furious, his mood matched and mirrored by Wolf Dreamer.

"It lists all of the allied clans," Wraith snarled. He didn't dare touch the parchment for fear of setting it on fire. "It lists the Alpha pairs of each clan and _their offspring_. Surpin and Shalu'Bane had all this information?"  
"It looks that way," Wolf Dreamer snorted. He was a grey feline based gargoyle with a shaggy mane of hair that only accented his name and made him look like a wolf. "Have the Shadows infiltrated every clan?" Wolf Dreamer pushed the list away from him in disgust and watched Corn Silk pick it up instead.  
"Raven and Running Fawn," the sandy brown feline gargoyle said sadly. She ran a claw over the names of her children and felt apprehension as well as pain in her heart. "I don't even want to think about what the drow would have done with this. How many copies did they have?"

"I don't know," Nivaeus answered. "I'm sorry." The Swarmling bowed his head for a moment, he and Crevan had rifled through stacks of papers trying to root out copies and predict how many there might have been when certain documents didn't have as many copies as others.  
"Take a set to Nephilim and Baites," Wolf Dreamer said to Wraith. "Let them and their council look them over. Make two stacks, one for your Alphas and one for Corn Silk and myself. All the rest should be burned. I am sorry Crevan but this is a gargoyle matter and if your people desire to help they shall have to do so through us."  
"I understand," the Fizzling nodded. The gargoyles had played by elven rules in Uzern so it was only fair that the elves would do the same in a gargoyle matter.

Nivaeus worked with Crevan to make sure each stack held a copy of each paper before he sent the Fizzling to the present Alpha pair with their copies.  
"I hope the Skylanders too will lend their services," Wolf Dreamer inquired as he took the stack from the Fizzling.  
Crevan clapped his fist to his chest and bowed, "I cannot speak for others but I will come should you summon me."  
Wraith nodded, "I can almost assure you that my Portal Master's other Skylanders will give assistance as well."  
"Same," Nivaeus said as he straightened up and took a pouch from a nearby table to tuck his sheaf of papers into. "We will hope it doesn't come to that but we are gargoyles despite how we may look right now."

"Alpha Wolf Dreamer, forgive me," an out of breath gargoyle that resembled a brightly colored parrot said as he skid to a stop inside the room. "General Wraith, Psionic Nivaeus and Alchemist Crevan; your presence is requested in the plaza. There's been a misunderstanding with the Skylanders."  
"What happened, is everyone okay?" Nivaeus was clearly worried and rushed the gargoyle as he fired off his questions.  
The messenger held up his hands to slow the giant's advance, "It isn't for me to say. Please, Commander Roghallach has requested your presence. It is a matter that your status as Skylanders as well as Tour natives is best utilized."  
"You are dismissed," Wolf Dreamer nodded when Wraith looked to him for authorization. "We will remain in here in an effort to learn all we can about what the drow know so we can help all the clans prepare."  
"Thank you, Alpha," Wraith thumped his chest with a fist before he strode out of the room.

"It wouldn't be Hex again, would it?" Nivaeus asked.  
"No," Crevan answered. In order to keep up with the longer strides of the giants he was forced to lope alongside them on all fours like an ape. "I do not think it would be Hex this time."  
"She went with Seraphina into a mindscape, things in there could have pulled at whatever she kept hidden and brought them to light. It was dangerous for her to go if there is as much bad blood between Hex and royalty as you have said."  
Crevan glanced to Nivaeus; he still didn't think it was Hex. She seemed to have made peace with who the princess was and at least spoke to Seraphina as an equal. Her siblings were another story but even then Crevan didn't think it would have been a problem with Hex. "It is not Hex," the Fizzling repeated.  
Wraith snorted, "I should hope not or she will receive no respect from me."

By the time Wraith, Nivaeus and Crevan emerged the group of Skylanders in the plaza had grown by one. Camo was up and looking extremely groggy. He was nodding along to whatever Gill was saying and kept looking back to Sprint then over at Windy with the others traversing Timber's mind.  
"No, I don't recommend taking that particular journey," the hybrid was saying in a voice thick with sleep. He groaned and rubbed at his eyes, "My head is swimming with the memories Stone Fist returned to me as well as the events from the mindscape. Everything all at once, makes my head hurt."  
"So you remember the rumors flying around about Hex when she-"  
"Yes!" Camo snapped at Gill, "yes, I remember it all. I remember Krystal finding me in a triple pack along with two copies. I remember my first return to Skylands and the greeting you gave me when I made my way back to Eon's island for the first time following banishment. And Sunburn," Camo grinned, "that flaming _chicken_ had nearly convinced me that he had returned _without_ a Portal Master."

"Can it, Gill," Slam Bam cut off the amphibious gillman's next comment. "I'm satisfied that he's back. You should be too." The yeti looked up to the newly arrived giants and Fizzling. They stopped near the Ninjiniling Ginny-Li where she filled them in on the situation with the undead ghoul. Camo got a brief mention but the focus was clearly on the ghoul.  
"Well he should have been more careful," Wraith growled as he looked over to Ghost Roster and his two babysitters, one elven and one of gargoyle descent.  
"You can't tell me you haven't accidently harmed your allies before," Slam Bam growled as he approached the taller giant and folded all four of his arms across his chest.  
Wraith leaned down to look at Slam Bam through one eye; the yeti didn't even flinch and kept the hard set of his features. "When I was a fledgling to this form, yes. But as I grew accustomed to the the difference in my range of attacks and reach it stopped happening. With the danger present of devouring allied spirits the Core should not have engaged in his primal behavior. The accident could have been avoided."

Slam Bam stood a little taller. "Look, Ghost relies upon lesser spooks for nourishment. Denying him that is like telling any of us we can't breathe."  
The giant stood up and towered over Slam Bam even without proper posture. "Caution cannot be thrown to the wind. What if he had lost control and turned it into a feeding frenzy? His first day as a ghoul is no secret to anyone."  
"You ain't even an elf, why are you so offended?" Slam Bam unfolded two of his arms and jabbed the giant in a thigh as he spoke. Well, Slam Bam hoped he wasn't an elf in his true form at least.

"It is in the past," Lightning Rod said to preempt any form of retort from Wraith. "Leave it there and rest assured that this event will be handled accordingly." He knew that the story would have to be retold each time another group of Skylanders returned and didn't look forward to it.  
"Whatever," the yeti said with a wave as he walked off to a relatively empty section of the palace plaza.  
"Let it be, Wraith," Nivaeus said with an arm extended to keep the Hot Headling in place.  
Wraith gave the younger giant a wiry grin, "You speak wisely for one so young. But you're right. It's not worth it."

"What did you blokes find in the palace?" Ignitor changed the subject with his question to the Fizzling.  
Crevan hesitated in responding, when Wraith and Nivaeus remained silent he finally answered. "Everything the drow need to subjugate the gargoyles."  
"Oh dear," the fire spirit sighed. He thought he had picked up on tension among the gargoyles.  
Ginny-Li bowed her head, "It looks like Skylands will be reintroduced to our people and psionics."

"We will make the reintroduction as smooth as possible," Lightning Rod offered.  
"Honestly I think the whole thing might be glossed over by Kaos's antics," Sprocket spoke up. She had finally stopped staring forlornly at Ghost Roaster. The other Skylander was doing well under supervision. He was carrying a conversation with the elven mage and neither participant seemed anxious or upset.  
"Thank you," Wraith nodded to Rod, "But I believe it might be more exciting than any of us are prepared for. Psionics differ from the psychics because they are skilled in the art of battle as well as knowledge gathering."  
"Time will tell, 'ey?" Ignitor asked. The three giants only nodded before they turned around to watch the Alpha pair for the Wolf Clan descend the stairs that led to the palace.

"That's right," Ghost Roaster nodded. "Just a simple tumble into the Valley of the Undead and I was left like this." He spread his arms out wide and looked down on his legless, tapering body. "I jiggled a lot more before now. I had always planned on losing weight but not like _that_," he gave a nervous laugh.  
"And your appetite for spirits, what caused it do you think?" The mage was fascinated; he leaned on his staff as he listened to the Skylander's tale.  
Ghost Roaster tapped his bared teeth, "The foods I had so loved in life no longer seemed to appease me. They were tasteless and offered nothing to fend off my hunger. The smell of spirits though is as fragrant as a roast or tempting as a freshly baked pie. Different types have different fragrances and tastes. None sate my appetite like dark spirits though. I swore to Master Eon that I would only devour the darkest spirits and have upheld it. Until…" The ghoul sighed and placed a boney hand over his brightly colored, lidless eyes. "I have offended the spirits of Uzern and soiled the honor of the Skylanders today. Eon will be so disappointed in me."

"If your regret is sincere then I can't see why anyone would hold it against you," the gargoyle magister spoke. She was a small avian based creature with a short beak and glossy brown feathers banded with black and white on her wings. Her back arching horns were ribbed and seemed to follow the curve of her head before they gave one twist to point out sideways. "In training nearly all of us has mortally wounded a fellow trainee or teacher. I took the leg and right wing from my teacher when I first learned to harness fire. She has forgiven me for it but I can't let myself forget it."  
"I nearly put my master's eye out with a stray icicle," the elven mage said sheepishly. "The point is accidents happen when you utilize natural talents. Queen Elanniah is fair," the mage nodded, "She will look at both sides and find something that appeases the spirits and keeps you from oblivion. The Queen does not believe in an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. And neither does the spirit Uriel if what I know of him is true."

Ghost Roaster relaxed visibly, even if it was only a small amount. He did deeply regret what he had done, his tenure as a Skylander had altered his tastes somehow. Before he had no qualms devouring any spirit that crossed his path, now they had different tastes and the blacker a specter was the more satisfying it was for Ghost Roaster to devour them. "The waiting brings doubts," he sighed. "The way my teammates look at me brings me shame. I let them down."  
The gargoyle and elf exchanged glances but remained silent as Ghost Roaster talked himself through his situation aloud.

Swarm's breath and the thrumming of his wings were the only sounds he could hear. The giant had arrived near the Core of Light and had sped away to Eon's citadel immediately. He raced by other Skylanders that called to him in greeting or prompted him for a status update on the situation in Uzern. Most of them had been away at the time and thus the reason they too hadn't come. Swarm chose to ignore all of them and his mad dash only seemed to accomplish gathering a trailing crowd that ran after him in worry that something horrible had happened.

Chill had just exited the citadel and stared dumbfounded at the sight of Swarm making a beeline for the door she stood in front of. Behind him was a multitude of other Skylanders all shouting for Swarm to slow down and tell him what was the matter.  
"By Odin's beard," Chill muttered as she fumbled with the door. If she didn't move Swarm was going to bowl her over just before he slammed into the door. Her eyes widened as the giant drew dangerously close and just when he reached out for her she fell into the citadel when the door opened quicker than she was prepared for. The Nordic warrior scrambled to the side in a crabwalk to flee the entrance point. Chill's armor clicked and squealed the whole time. Her left foot just did manage to clear the doorway by the time Swarm whizzed by with his gossamer wings in a blur. Chill placed a hand over her heart and took a deep breath as his entourage stormed in after him and darted past her without pausing to see if she was unharmed. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine!" she yelled in irritation after the other Skylanders. Not a one turned to look at her. Chill rose to her feet and grumbled the whole time, once she was upright she tilted her chin up and strode through the door again. Chill could wait for the giant to cool his heels before she learned of what gave him such haste.

"Hugo!" Swarm's voice boomed and echoed through the halls. "Hugo, I must speak to Master Eon!" Swarm took corners so quickly his body swung out wide and his feet nearly grazed the far wall. He purposely took a few turns that allowed him to double back and head down a different path. The other Skylanders might have been his teammates but he couldn't afford to have them slow him and they certainly didn't need to know anything before Eon himself had a chance to mull it over.  
"What in the name of the ancients is it?" Hugo appeared in the hall before Swarm so fast that the giant had to throw his momentum into reverse to avoid hitting the much smaller mabu. Hugo stared at Swarm with his hands on his hips and eyes narrowed behind his ridiculously thick glasses.

The giant landed gingerly and finally stilled his wings. "Is Master Eon present?" Swarm asked between quick breaths.  
"He has asked to not be disturbed," Hugo replied. "He is still weakened from summoning a portal. Oh he should never have done that, how can something so simple drain him so much? They weren't even traveling that far but still-"  
"Hugo!" Swarm cut him off. "Please, it has to do with the situation on Tour!"  
Hugo's eyes widened, "Oh! I had forgotten that was where you came from! Follow me, quickly now!" The mabu turned to waddle down the hall as fast as his stubby little legs could carry him.  
Swarm remained with his feet on the ground, his stride alone could overtake Hugo and if he was supposed to follow the furry little assistant he couldn't pass him up.

Hugo let Swarm into a room that normally didn't get visitors. When Eon still had a body it had served as his bedchambers. The spirit was currently hovering over a chair with his eyes closed and seemed oblivious to the entrance of his guests.  
"M-master Eon?" Hugo called timidly. "Swarm brings news from Tour."  
Eon's eyes fluttered open and he looked to Swarm with a soft smile. The expression wavered and was replaced by a small frown when he saw the giant's concern. "Good Heavens, what has happened?"  
Swarm told him everything surrounding Camo's amnesia in relation to his psionic venture as well as Ghost Roaster devouring an Uzernian spirit. Eon listened silently, his expression never once changed but Hugo's did at nearly everything the giant relayed.

"I see," Eon said once Swarm had finished. "Then I shall attend a meeting with the Queen of Haven."  
"But Master Eon, you are in no condition to manifest so far away!" Hugo interjected.  
"Nonsense, Hugo," Eon said with the shake of his head. "The distance becomes shorter with a portal open. Have your Portal Master open one please, Swarm. Once I have left the room you may enter it."  
"But it's late; surely the Queen won't be seeing anyone at this hour!" Hugo protested. "You will be stronger by morning, can't it wait?"  
"I am afraid it cannot," Eon said with a small shake of his head. "Please Swarm, lead the way."


	34. Identity Crisis

**Identity Crisis**

Stealth and Double Trouble had made haste back to the rest of their group and brought everyone quickly to the desert camp and the tent that had so addled Double Trouble. One by one the other Skylanders had peered into it, save for the dragons. The stench had nearly made Windy and Spyro sick and they had no desire to see what caused it.  
"What does 'mākutu' mean?" Meilyr asked as he stepped out of the tent. He had his nose buried in the crook of his arm in an effort to quell the rancid odor from inside. Oiled metal hardly covered the stench of decay.  
"It is a curse," Niall replied. He and Seraphina had been working alongside Double Trouble to cleanse the area. Elven prayers mingled with the rites of the tiki.  
"Oh you speak tiki man too?" Pop Fizz questioned. He stood on his tippy toes to see past those that blocked the tent's interior from him. He could smell it though and just did happen to catch a glance inside. The remains were of trolls stacked atop one another and by the way they looked they had been there for quite some time.  
"No, but the word is known to me," the elven priest replied.  
"This must be a memory of some sort," Double Trouble mused. "Altered, twisted and warped." He looked to the decrepit city remains then back to the tent.

"It is but the meaning is lost to me," Seraphina replied. She wiped the sweat from her brow, the environment shouldn't be bothering her like that but because it was meant she was growing tired. As a Hexling the heat shouldn't even affect her but it was a biological memory and response to the blistering sands. Seraphina sighed and returned to the thought she needed to voice, "Timber is either a troll or a tiki man."  
"He is of my people," Double Trouble nodded. "The attention to detail can only mean that. The tradition is different from what I am used to but it is not unknown to me." He thumped his staff in the sand and looked towards the rest of the group. "We must be careful here. If he feels slighted Timber might aggressively seek us out."  
"So we are how you say on the thinning ice?" Flameslinger asked.  
"That means you'd better not go blazing any trails, buddy," Spyro teased him.

"Where do we go from here?" Hex asked. She floated above the golden desert and the purple mist that always billowed from under her gown swirled up with the shifting sands to form tendrils of grit. She looked especially sinister with the carnage in the tent wafting its odor out with the wind's stirring.  
"Into the desert. If this is a memory then we should find where it leads next and be done with this wasteland."  
"Someone feels the heat," Meilyr cracked at Eloryn. He did too, his armor was uncomfortably hot and with a little effort he changed it into more suitable clothing. He felt silly in the billowing linen robe he now wore but it was cooler. Anicetus followed his lead as did Pop Fizz. The Core was still a ridiculous looking blue furry version of Meilyr but instead of neon armor he now wore a neon robe. All that changed was the color from green to yellow.

Rider looked first to himself then Hex and felt his heart ache, they had been undead for so long they forgot what it was to perspire and neither of them looked the least bit uncomfortable in the sweltering desert. Hex had turned her back on so many things she dubbed 'for the living' but Rider clung to them still as a way to keep him true to himself. He hadn't realized certain things had escaped him until that moment. "Then we should make haste," he said before striding forward. The sands shifted under his feet and made taking the rise treacherous but the elf was eager to see what new scenery the mindscape had to offer. So long as the troll massacre in the tent was the last of _that_ they would stumble upon.  
"Onward!" Pop Fizz exclaimed as he pointed after Rider. "I wish I had one of those lizard or bird things to ride. My feet are getting tired from all this walking."  
Cynder rolled her eyes, "Oh yes because we've been walking for _hours_ of course." To her it had been maybe only fifteen minutes; they spent more time flying in the first city area. Spyro playfully head butted her with a grin and try as she might Cynder couldn't hold her scowl for long. The dragons were giddy over the new adventure they were undergoing and seeing Pop Fizz as well as Rider take advantage of the ability to alter their appearances was a treat. Not to mention seeing the copies as they were in truth.

"So, what are you thinking of this crazy place?" Flameslinger asked Stealth.  
"That some of my companions don't take it seriously enough. Where else can you be ambushed without the warning of magic or blunder of an opponent? Place makes my skin crawl," she shivered.  
"I knew it!" Flameslinger laughed and gave a little hop at her shiver, "You like it hot! If this is not warm enough for your liking I am thinking I can offer more."  
Stealth stared in disbelief at his stupid grin before she backhanded her fellow elf in the face and stomped off ahead of him.  
"Ma chère has the heavy hand," Flameslinger cringed as he rubbed his sore nose and lips.  
"Women want someone with more…tact," Eloryn replied with a sniff. Even if Seraphina hadn't warned her about trying to make Stealth jealous that little display would have stopped her attempts dead in their tracks. As if to make her point the younger princes slunk up next to Rider with a smile.  
"You're so hopeless," Windy scoffed at Flameslinger's surprise. If anyone else had seen the display they chose to keep quiet.

"I must know more about this curse," Hex approached Double Trouble with the sudden prompt. The shifting sands didn't bother either of them thanks to their ability to float over them.  
"I suppose I can share the custom. Well, my tribe's custom. The tribes have been known to alter them to suit their regions and own beliefs." The tiki man frowned, "It is a long story and will pertain heavily to my own origins."  
"Understanding an ally better isn't a bad thing," Rider spoke up. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the eirian princess by his side but did seem to find it somewhat refreshing.  
"No," Double Trouble shook his head, "But sometimes that understanding makes you look at them differently." Stealth nodded silently to the magic element's point.  
"Aw, just tell us already!" Pop Fizz chimed in. "Can't go and throw us a treat and not expect us to want more! I want the juicy details."  
"There is nothing juicy about it," Double Trouble scowled.

The tiki man was silent for a while as he gathered his thoughts. "The practice of magic among my people is encouraged. If an individual cannot cast then they learn alchemy to offset what is seen as a handicap. Anyone can learn alchemy but if you possess no magic it is a requirement. As you can imagine with magic such a heavy influence on our culture it is often used to commit crimes and leave no trace of the culprit's involvement. That is where the Avatar of Retribution comes in; the Avatar is our judge, jury and executioner. If a person feels they have been wronged they invoke the Avatar to seek answers and punish the culprit accordingly. Punishment can range from a return of stolen items to the ruination of a home or death of the guilty person. We call the end result of the Avatar's actions mākutu. When the signs are recognized the issue must be left alone or else the Avatar could return for the person that disturbed the area before the invoker finds it."

Double Trouble glanced through the party to see who was listening and to judge if he should continue. Hex gave him a look that said he _would_ continue, or else. The tiki man shook his head and focused on the sands before him. The rise had leveled out and a vast desert that stretched infinitely in all directions greeted him. He kept moving when Seraphina gestured for him to do so. "The Avatar of Retribution wears a solid white mask devoid of anything that would indicate who it is that wears it. The eyes are covered and hidden; skin is smeared in ash to hide identifying marks. The Avatar is silent and never speaks. This is because the Avatar changes frequently. Everyone in the tribe at some point becomes the Avatar and no one else but the Avatar themselves knows who it is at any time. The Avatar only comes out when a crime is reported."  
"So this Avatar of Retribution is responsible for the troll slaughter?" Anicetus ventured forth a guess. "You got all that from the corpses?"  
"There were signs there that you would pass off as nothing if you were unfamiliar with the rite," Double Trouble responded. "That is why I believe Timber is of my people. But the things we have seen don't quite fit in. Perhaps I will understand later." The tiki man shook his head and recomposed his thoughts to move the topic back on track.

"Retribution comes swiftly and silently. The Avatar decides if a crime has been committed and how to deal with it. There have been instances in which the Avatar has killed someone for the theft of a favored pet. Each Avatar operates for a period of three months at a time before they pass on the mantel. The passing happens by the old Avatar hiding the ceremonial garments and leaving a note in a random location. Whoever finds the note first is tasked with retrieving the garments and answering the summons posted on the Summoning Pole in the center of the village. When their time has passed they do the same. There is no limit to how often you can become the Avatar nor is there any punishment if you chose poorly on how to handle a crime. There are times retribution is brought down on innocents." Double Trouble sighed, "I really don't wish to continue."

Spyro galloped up to the head of the line, "Then don't," he said simply.  
"No one will force you," Cynder added her voice as she joined the purple dragon.  
It was obvious he was going to speak about a personal experience and none of the Skylanders really wanted to know. "No, I can't ask you to continue. Forgive me," Hex bowed her head.  
"I have to finish the story; something tells me the information will be invaluable."  
Seraphina exchanged a glance with Niall, as priests their training had made them privy to a great deal of other cultures and they already had an idea of where Double Trouble's tale was going. The way the Core had grown quiet as he spoke was all they needed to know.

The tiki man decided he had gone down the path too far to not tell the rest. His voice was filled with emotion when he picked back up however. "If there is ever a time the Avatar of Retribution feels they cannot properly perform their duties they must relinquish their claim on the position but not before humiliating themselves by removing the mask in front of the whole village. To save their family from sharing in the shame and disgrace the individual must exile themselves from the village. The only way they can return is by handing out punishment for the issue they abandoned their duty on. The person seeking retribution will often curse the forsaken name. The reported crime will not be resolved except by the person who was originally tasked to solve it, the exiled individual. Sometimes the forsaken returns and sometimes they retreat forever. It all depends upon how strongly they feel about their choice." The magic Skylander had struggled with the last part and in doing so knew he had set imaginations into overdrive.

"So that's why you were livin' all alone and stuff before you joined us," Pop Fizz said bluntly when no one else deemed it proper to speak.  
"Yes," Double Trouble spoke at last. "I was the active Avatar and tasked with placing punishment on my wife. The punishment most favored is one that fits the crime in the most severe cases. She had been accused of murder; my information gathering said she was guilty. I could not bring myself to render retribution. Even with the evidence pointing to her I couldn't believe it. I lost her as sure as if I had killed her. I lost everything but I could not have lived with myself had I followed through."  
"I shouldn't have asked," Hex said quietly. "Forgive me."

"I have a question," Anicetus spoke slowly. "Those were trolls back there; can the Avatar act outside of the tribe?"  
Double Trouble pulled himself together and nodded, "On rare occasions it is possible. It is not normal as our rules and laws are not honored outside of our own people. In the instance of Kaos's cronies it is perfectly acceptable. I wonder," the Core started, "I wonder who became the Avatar after my departure."  
"Double Trouble," Seraphina said softly, "I do not mean to sound callous but it is dangerous to let your thoughts wander so when you are traversing the trails of another mind." The Core nodded and gave her a look to let her know he hadn't taken offense.

"I see something shining in the distance," Meilyr murmured with a hand over his eyes to shield them from the glare of the sands. Pop Fizz came up beside him and mimicked his motion with the addition of his tongue sticking out partially.  
"What is it?" Rider questioned. He moved up beside the odd pair and squinted to make out the object. It seemed to shimmer and wink in and out as if it were moving. "I can't tell what size or shape it is."  
"No, that is not wise," Niall said abruptly. Others had to turn to see that he was speaking to Spyro poised for takeoff. The dragon wrinkled his nose and looked to Seraphina for verification.  
"We go together or not at all. Look behind us, we have not been walking long. What do you see?"

Gasps and other exclamations of surprise escaped the gathering.  
"Where's the city?" Windy asked in surprise. She pranced around in the sand with her eyes wide in nervousness. The last time things faded behind her she had met the nightmare crawlers for the first time. "Where'd it go!?"  
"Where's the ground, where's the _sky_?" Cynder asked in awe. Maybe about fifty feet behind them the landscape faded into blackness. The sand swirled up at the edge and simply vanished when it moved too far into the void. The blue of the sky bled out into the yawning emptiness as well. "By the light," she breathed. Cynder took a tentative step back the way they had come. Seraphina didn't stop her so she grew more confident in her approach. When Cynder reached the precipice of the strange anomaly she reached out with a paw to test the ground. Sand crunched and fell away under her touch and the edge crumbled closer to her feet. "What?" she asked. The sand began to crumble faster and she had to back up. The edge kept falling away and the blackness moved in closer.

"Run!" Flameslinger cried, "Run for your lives!" The green skinned and blindfolded elf turned on his heel and took off like a flash. The enchantment of his boots kicked in and he left a blazing line of fire behind him.  
As Cynder turned to follow him she increased in size and lowered her head to push up under Hex and Stealth. She tossed both down her neck and felt them slide back to her shoulders before she used her teeth and snagged Meilyr by the loose fabric of the robes he had donned. Spyro followed her lead and took Eloryn and Pop Fizz up. The currently furry blue copy of Meilyr refused to slide down Spyro's neck and instead clung to his horns. The dragon couldn't afford to pick up anyone else with the extra weight already on his head.

Windy willed herself into a larger form too right as Rider leapt over her to land on her quickly expanding shoulders. He adjusted her flowing scarf so he wouldn't pin it under him and reached out to Double Trouble. "Give me your hand!"  
The hybrid lowered one feathered wing and Double Trouble took hold of it. The tiki man was incredibly light and Windy raised her wing to allow him to slide back behind Rider. "Gotcha."  
It was Anicetus this time that followed Seraphina's lead and sprouted wings the same color as his platinum hair. After Seraphina's staff vanished in a puff of mist the two of them took one of Niall's arms each and heft him up to fly away.  
"Give him to me!" Spyro yelled to the winged elves. He angled closer to them in his run until Niall was directly over his back.  
Eloryn reached up and helped guide Niall down by way of his staff, "Get Flameslinger!" the younger princess called. Once her siblings were out of the way Eloryn felt Spyro's muscles tense and he took flight. "You alright?" she yelled over the wind to Niall. The priest nodded and lowered his head for a moment. His knuckles nearly turned white on his staff as he held it tightly against Spyro's flank.

Flameslinger hardly dared to look anywhere but straight ahead. He felt the rush of hot air as first Cynder flew past him then Windy and Spyro. He just did manage to catch Stealth looking back from where she sat on Cynder with her arm extended in a point.  
"Hold your arms out!" the eirian prince called over the roar.  
Not one to argue with such a silly command while he ran for his life, Flameslinger did as he was asked. "Vous êtes fou!" he screamed when he felt the prince and princess lift him by his arms. The archer's feet continued to cycle through the motions of running even when the sand had drifted far below him.  
"Stop thrashing or we might drop you!" Seraphina snapped. She and Anicetus put their all into catching up with the dragons, an impossible feat if not for their current location in the mindscape.  
The Core couldn't take his eyes off the two flying elves that held him. They had to be staggered with the prince slightly ahead of his sister to prevent their wings from fouling one another up. The result was Flameslinger moved through the air at a slightly slanted angle. "Allumez me sauver," Flameslinger muttered. Even with the blindfold in place it was obvious his eyes were squinted shut tightly.

"Oh you _can't_ be serious!" Rider groaned. Ahead of the group he saw an impossible sight. Like the ocean the sands were in motion with swells and troughs of waves.  
"Fascinating," Double Trouble murmured, "the way the imagination works."  
"Just wait until it's trying to trap you!" Windy wailed. The two riders could feel her speak through her back. She climbed higher into the sky as the waves grew larger and taller. The glimmering light was still there; it coasted along on top of the swells and vanished momentarily on the downsides. "Do I head towards it?" the blue hybrid asked her two riders.  
"I say follow our guide, to the left," Rider pat Windy's left shoulder to indicate where he had seen Seraphina.  
Windy altered her course about the same time Spyro did and caught a nod from the other dragon complete with the elven form of Pop Fizz dangling from his horns. Even though her heart was pounding and Windy couldn't shake the feeling of dread she at least felt better with so many others with her.

There was the glittering object to investigate and there was the swirling portal that bobbed along the sand sea swells atop a platform. Seraphina felt drawn the the portal while the glittering object gave off an uneasy feeling. She trusted what she sensed when she shut out the stimuli that Timber's subconscious was trying to force upon her. They had yet to run into sentient figments of his imagination but the landscape itself was responding to them and doing a fine job of trying to oust them.  
"Where are you taking me?" Flameslinger yelled to the siblings that held him aloft. He hung limply from their grip; there really was nothing for him to do. Even though he was blindfolded Flameslinger still seemed to be able to see everything around him. His head was turned towards what looked like a stone block bobbing along with the waves of sand topped with an upright ring of stone that held something with a ripple like water.  
"To where ever our journey takes us next," Seraphina replied enigmatically.  
Flameslinger grunted and looked behind them. The three dragons along with their riders were still following them as was the encroaching void. In fact it looked as if the void were drawing ever nearer. "Please, we are to be picking up the pace, yes?" He began to thrash again almost as if he were trying to climb up onto one of the winged elves.

"Light, is he high strung or what?" Anicetus grumbled. His grip nearly slipped and Flameslinger yelped in surprise over the jolt he got. There was a side effect to the whole thing that Anicetus rather liked, the archer finally stilled himself. "Skill alone must have affected Rafer's form."  
Seraphina sighed, "After this is all over we still have to resume the search for him and Teranika. Kaelin and Galvin should be here by tomorrow night. I do not think I am going to finish undoing the damage Surpin and Shalu'Bane did to the minds of Windy's friends anytime soon. I am beginning to feel weary."  
Anicetus's eyes widened, "Hang in there long enough to get us through this trial. I cannot continue without your help."  
"The gargoyles will bring everyone back if the unthinkable should happen."  
"What is this topic we are to be discussing?" Flameslinger reminded them of his presence. As if they could forget the burden they carried through the skies.

Cynder's first reaction was to do a barrel roll to avoid the sudden lash of a sandy wave. She regretted it instantly when Hex slipped off her back and plummeted towards the raging, gritty sea.  
"Hex!" Stealth screamed as she leaned over Cynder's side. "Dive, dive! Get her quick!" the life elemental gasped. Her mask covered her mouth but the outline of her mouth hanging open was unmistakable.  
"Light!" Meilyr howled from where he dangled from Cynder's jaws. The flight had been the most terrifying for him with nothing below him and nothing to hold onto. He had turned as best he could to grab the end of Cynder's snout for balance but her scales were smooth and left little to grip. When Cynder went into a nose dive he found himself pushed back painfully on her teeth and the pointed tip of her beak-like mouth. The eirian squeezed his eyes shut as his stomach seemed to rise to his throat with the free fall feeling. He opened them when he heard Cynder trying to tell him something through clenched teeth and Hex shouted a long string of obscenities at him.

Hex stretched out as far as she could and flipped over again with the force of the wind during her fall. She cursed loudly when she seemingly became stuck with her head pointed downward. The wind howled and whipped past her, the swooping wings of her headdress quaked with the force and her cowl threatened to slip off her head, a few locks of jet black hair had already slipped out. She thought maybe she could slow her descent with phantom orbs, if they could be fired out with enough force maybe it would work. In the back of her mind she knew it was stupid but Hex's desperation made her try it anyway. She regretted it the moment the two orbs she launched arched back towards her and hit her in the face and chest. Hex threw her arms up as best she could to block but the force of the wind made it a slow, agonizing process. It did however manage to turn her back around so she was reaching up again. The sorceress didn't care that her gown was trying to climb up her body and left her legs bare.

"I have you!" Meilyr cried when he managed to snag Hex by a wrist. The eirian's face split into ecstatic joy when she reached up with her other hand to grab his wrist. For the moment Meilyr didn't care that he was hanging out of a dragon's mouth while holding onto Hex to prevent her fall. He couldn't hear anything now except the wind; Hex was shouting something but the increasingly loud roar around them was drowning out most of the words.  
"… out … coming! ..der!"  
It grew dark suddenly and Cynder's heart skipped a beat when she tried to fly up and realized she had gone low enough for the crest of a sand wave to loop over her. The dragon flew as fast as she could through the quickly collapsing tunnel to make the circular exit she saw at the far end. The sight beyond was no less terrifying, the sky was trailing out thinning tendrils into the blackness that threatened to devour them.  
"Cynder!" Stealth screamed as she stretched out flat atop the dragon's back. She scrunched up and buried her eyes in the crook of her arm when Cynder roared suddenly and Stealth felt the harsh grit of sand cascade over her. The feeling changed from a smooth flight motion to a chaotic tumble and Stealth was wrenched away from the dragon she was trying to cling to desperately.

Spyro's roar was a terrible sound of pain and heartache when he saw the other dragon and her passengers vanish beneath the golden sands. He looked frantically for them to resurface and saw nothing beyond the black void that was nearly upon him.  
"Meilyr!" Eloryn screamed. She clutched the spikes that lined Spyro's back hard enough for her knuckles to grow pale. She barely felt Niall's hand squeeze her shoulder and his head rest against her back. "Meilyr," Eloryn said again, her words lost in Spyro's second mournful cry. She slumped forward against Spyro and felt alongside the stretching and contracting of his muscles another shudder of movement. The dragon was sobbing and only after Eloryn saw droplets of moisture on his hide did she realize she was too.  
"Do not despair," Niall tried to soothe the princess. The roar of the wind forced him to yell, he couldn't use soft words. "The psionics should have pulled them out by now."

"Gone! They are gone!" Flameslinger thrashed so much that Anicetus did lose his grip. The green skin elf cried out in surprise as he swung around under Seraphina.  
"Stop! _Stop_!" the priestess screamed in terror when Flameslinger nearly slipped out of her grip as well. She held on as tightly as she could with both hands, her fingers on her left hand snagged under his gauntlet and gave her a better grip. Anicetus tried to move in closer and reached out to take Flameslinger's other arm again but the archer wouldn't let go of Seraphina's hand. "Take his feet, Ani!" she yelled at her brother.  
The prince tucked his wings in barely and slipped back behind his sister and dropped lower before he surged in and snagged the heavy booted feet of the Core. He cried out when Flameslinger tried to kick him in panic and only then did he utilize his psionics to stall the Core and freeze his movement.  
_Fly right through the portal_, Seraphina said into her brother's mind. _Take my ankle if you have to let go of Flameslinger. At least the three of us will be together_.  
Anicetus sighed deeply, he had heard the commotion from the dragons behind him but had been unable to look back and see what happened. With the area deteriorating around them they couldn't afford to wait for the others to catch up and needed to take the gateway quickly.

"We're not going to make it!" Windy cried in terror. She could see the fading of the sky and sand around her and felt a chill from behind in contrast to the sweltering heat ahead.  
"You have to, I know you can!" Rider leaned forward to tell Windy. Her shorter equine neck allowed him to get near enough to her ear that he didn't need to shout. He rubbed the hybrid's neck much like he would do to Fright to calm him. Oh how his poor ostrich must be fretting over Rider's inability to respond to him.  
"Stop being so negative!" Double Trouble shouted. "You are a Skylander, you are stronger!" He tapped Windy's flank with his staff and glanced behind him. He was anxious of course and deeply mournful over what they had witnessed with Cynder and the group she carried. They were in shock; the sight had yet to sink in with their fight for survival.  
"How did they get ahead of us anyway?" Windy whined as she watched the tiny specks that represented Flameslinger, Anicetus and Seraphina near the tossing stone platform.  
"Don't worry about that now," Rider told her calmly, "Simply work on joining them. You can do this! Show us why they call you Windy!" He grabbed the wildly flapping ends of her red scarf and wrapped them around his arm in an effort to help make Windy more streamlined.

The copy narrowed her eyes, she had two Cores on her back that she couldn't let down. Windy rolled her shoulders and lowered her neck to squeeze out as much speed as she could. Her eyes were tearing up from the grit in the air and she blinked nearly constantly to clear them but she couldn't give up.  
"That'a girl!" Rider exclaimed. "Faster now, we're almost there!" He thumped her neck encouragingly and glanced out the corner of his eye to see Spyro drawing near. His heart went out to the eirian on the purple dragon's back as well as to Spyro himself. They all had lost someone. Rider closed his eyes and said a prayer for luck and well wishing. During his tenure as a Skylander never had he experienced something as bizarre and terrifying as his current mission. In the end he could at least say he had experienced a psionic journey, whether or not he was going to go on another still remained to be seen.

The motion was quick and fluid, Seraphina tugged Flameslinger up into a tight hug and Anicetus dropped back to grab his sister by the legs. The prince similarly released the psionic hold on the Core and allowed time to pass for him once more.  
"What is going on?" Flameslinger exclaimed when he realized he was cradled in the eirian's arms and his chin was on her shoulder. He had no memory of Anicetus stalling time for him and then allowing it to resume.  
"Brace yourself," the princess replied.  
"This I can do," the Core replied as he tightly wrapped his arms around Seraphina's neck. He had no complaints about being close to the other Skylander; it was just the situation that he didn't like. It felt like icy water when Flameslinger hit the glassy surface of the vertical portal. He shivered and clung tighter to the priestess as the feeling engulfed him right down to the soles of his feet.

Anicetus couldn't feel his fingers anymore when his hand passed through the frigid portal surface. He was terrified that he might lose his grip and willed himself to hold on as if his life depended upon it. Just when he thought he was going to freeze to death everything changed. Anicetus hit the dry earth hard and groaned as feeling slowly returned to his limbs.  
"You move fast, princess," Flameslinger chuckled. The eirian lay sprawled atop him. She scowled and rolled to the side when she could muster enough effort for it. "Thank you but my heart belongs to another," Flameslinger grunted as he sat up. "What is this place?" All around them were tall stalks of some kind; those that had been in their way upon arrival were now broken and bent.  
"Looks like a field of corn," Anicetus answered. He finally managed to prop himself up on hands and knees, light had that been cold. He was actually surprised to find a lack of ice on his desert clothing. With a thought Anicetus returned it to his armor and weapon, he didn't want to chance being without.  
"The others should be here soon, move away from the entrance!" Seraphina said with wide eyes. She scrambled off to the side and eventually rose to her feet. She finished smoothing out her garments by the time Anicetus and Flameslinger had reached her.

"I do not like the flying," the Core sighed. He plucked a few broken sections of corn plants from his blue hair and the joints of his padded armor. "I do not like this grass that is to make me short either."  
"You seem to not like a lot of things," Anicetus responded. There was nothing to indicate where they had come into the field through; they seemingly simply appeared in it. "What if the others enter in other parts?" he asked his sister.  
"Then we will be sorely pressed to find them. We wait here a while longer for them." They should have been there by now, she realized. Spyro and Windy weren't that far behind her. Then there was Cynder's group, well Seraphina wasn't as worried about them as others would be. Not with psionics on the outside watching them.

Windy heard keenly the sounds of despair from Rider and Double Trouble when the portal the leading trio had passed through moments ago shattered like glass. There was nothing but rolling waves of sand in all directions but behind them. Going back was not an option, oblivion waited for them there.  
"Follow me, hurry!" Spyro roared to Windy. He wheeled around and headed instead in the direction of the glittering light. It was still ahead of them but time was very limited, the void would swallow them almost when they reached it. If it was nothing Spyro didn't want to think about it. He pushed himself to his limit and his wings screamed at him as he continued to demand more of them.

At last Pop Fizz had enough of dangling from Spyro's horns. He waited and timed it to a point in which he could drop down onto the dragon's back. The Core miscalculated and landed hard on Eloryn. The princess screamed in terror as she thought she was under attack.  
Niall worked furiously to pull the gremlin in elf form off of Meir Valan's second princess. Pop Fizz was laughing though, acting as if Eloryn's thrashing and Niall's tugging tickled him.  
"We don't have time for this!" Pop Fizz tried to say between breaths and laughter.  
"I know!" Niall snarled at him. He let Spyro worry about getting them to safety but the gremlin wasn't helping anything with his antics. He had grabbed Eloryn by the back of her dress and the princess was still screaming.

"What's going on back there!?" Spyro yelled. He couldn't look back, his speed would force his head to painfully wrench his neck back and disrupt his flight.  
"Something is attacking us!" Eloryn screamed. Her eyes were wide and she kept swatting at the hand grabbing her head, neck and clothing.  
The princess's voice never reached Spyro's ears, the roar of the sand and howl of the wind carried it away from him. The only thing that even let him know something was amiss was the shifting and thumping of the riders on his back. The glittering object was growing nearer and finally Spyro could see what it was. A very strange glowing door with angles that weren't quite right hovered above the sand; the rolling waves even seemed to avoid it mysteriously. It looked welcoming enough to the dragon; he was still leery about using it after what had happened to the last path. "Windy!" Spyro yelled at the top of his lungs, "You have to grab my tail! Don't let go of it, we can't miss this chance!"

Windy groaned, Spyro was still a good distance ahead of her and the sand was making her wings sluggish. They felt heavy and with each downbeat she could see the sand that had gotten between the feathers puff out. "I can't!" she admitted. Spyro didn't hear her but her riders did.  
"You _can_!" Rider stressed.  
"The sand!" Windy cried, "It makes my feathers wonk!"  
Double Trouble dared to let go of Windy with one hand to lift his staff out in front of him perpendicular to his posture and closed his eyes. He murmured an incantation and heard Windy as well as Rider gasp in surprise; Double Trouble ignored them and finished the spell. When he finally opened his eyes he saw the result of it. Windy's blue and white wings were covered in soft green eldritch energy and sand was falling from them freely. The energy also prevented more sand from coating her feathers; the result was a much needed increase in speed for Windy. The hybrid finally got within range of Spyro's tail. Just as she grabbed it with her forepaws the purple dragon went into a dive.

Spyro could see the blackness through his peripheral vision and felt the contrasting bite of cold and blast of heat. Almost, Spyro was so close. The riders on his back had finally settled down and the purple dragon reached out with a claw towards the glowing object. He watched in horror as his extended foreleg was pulled out and began to twist towards the glowing door-like object. There was no pain but the shock of seeing his limb become so twisted as if he possessed no bones was enough. Spyro's jaws opened for a yell about the time his snout hit the distortion and his head as well as neck began to spiral in towards the door.  
"What is happening!?" Eloryn screamed from the dragon's back. She watched Spyro turn into a spiral and stretch out impossibly thin before her eyes. She tried to clamor back away from the terrifyingly dizzy sight but Pop Fizz was pressed against her back and prevented her from moving very far. Instead she tried to climb over him but by that point she too was caught in the distortion and her scream turned into a bizarre, thin mechanical sound.  
"I've drank potions before that made me see this kinda stuff!" Pop Fizz exclaimed as he then Niall fell victim to the surrealistic effect.

"You mustn't let go!" Double Trouble urged Windy when she too began to scream in terror. Spyro and his riders were nothing more than multicolored streamers spinning around the glowing point like a whirlpool.  
Windy couldn't help it; she had to release Spyro's tail and tried to beat her wings to send her back. It was too late, the current had her and Windy saw one of her wings twist first before her right side went. By then it had her completely helpless and all she could do was scream in the same thin, metallic way that Eloryn was. The colors swirled in through the shimmering door as the blackness swallowed the sand that had been around the glowing object. The void moved on, ever consuming the sand sea and sky while the glowing doorway remained in place and sat dormant amid the blackness as the solitary point of light.

"We are lost," Flameslinger said it at last as the trio moved down the empty aisles between the rows of corn. "All is lost. Cynder, Stealth, Hex and your Meilyr have been destroyed and who knows were the other dragons and cavaliers are gone to."  
"No," Anicetus growled, "no one has been destroyed! The gargoyles pulled them out the moment the four of them felt all was lost! _We_ do not need your negative thoughts weighing on our minds. Control yourself!"  
Flameslinger prepared a hot retort but a gentle hand on his shoulder stayed him. Instead he grunted and turned to push his way through the tall stalks.  
Seraphina gave her brother a glance that told him he too should watch himself before she motioned for him to follow her after Flameslinger.

"Jamais plus," Flameslinger muttered to himself. He reached over his shoulder and gripped his bow, for a moment he thought he might have lost it but the smooth surface of the wood was comforting to him. He slid it off the anchors that kept it with his quiver and pulled an arrow to hold in the other hand. Nothing had given him reason to arm himself but he felt it was the wiser path when dealing with the unknown.  
"If you become lost there is no telling where you might end up," Seraphina called to him. A moment later and the two siblings pushed through to the same row.  
"I want out of this domaine misérable," the archer replied. He looked over his shoulder and with a sigh pulled his blindfold down around his neck. The elf's eyes were a startling sight; they looked like live embers with swirls of orange, red and yellow that was ever changing. Looking beyond that they held a profound sadness. "You tell me I did not watch Stealth die but my heart feels a terrible ache. We are in Skylands no more. The rules of this place, they are strange to me. I cannot predict anything that may come next and every turn holds surprises that belong in my worst nightmares. My curiosity, she is satisfied now I think. I respect you for what you do but don't want to see any more of it."  
"I can send you back," Seraphina offered as Anicetus came up beside her.

"Non," Flameslinger shook his head. "I see this through to the bitter end. I will leave this to the professionnels from now on. This is no place for un archer."  
"This is no place for any of us," Anicetus sighed. He strode up next to Flameslinger and nodded, "For what it is worth you have done well for a first timer."  
Flameslinger for once didn't appear so sure of himself. He gave a slight shrug before he reached out to push aside thick stalks of corn. "Par la lumière," he gasped in shock. "The strangeness, she knows no bounds." He glanced to either side as the royal siblings came up beside him and exited the corn field.  
"Now we are getting somewhere," Seraphina smirked. "Our goal is in there. Come, the sooner we arrive the sooner we can get out of here." When her companions weren't looking the priestess rubbed at her eyes. All she wanted to do was lay down and sleep, everything was so taxing to her. She straightened up when her brother turned back around upon realizing she wasn't walking with them. Seraphina flashed him what she hoped was a reassuring smile before she scurried up to her companions.


	35. An Audience with the Queen

**An Audience with the Queen**

Camo sat silently near Sprint, his leafy tail swayed in thought as he watched her slumber then looked back to the group surrounding Timber. So many had gone along with Seraphina, Camo didn't think he could ever let himself travel that path again. He closed his eyes and sighed, although it had felt _wonderful_ to fly. Camo kept his thoughts on the events in the mindscape, it was far more appealing than the conversation he had heard repeated countless time as the other groups of Skylanders returned. If he heard of what Ghost Roaster had done one more time…

Camo's head snapped up suddenly when Cynder, Hex, Stealth and Meilyr all shuddered violently. The expressions on their faces terrified the hybrid and brought him to his feet quickly. So far none of the other Skylanders had noticed. The hybrid took two steps towards the group when one of the gargoyle psionics stopped him. "What's going on?" Camo noticed the gargoyle looked past him and turned to see the Hot Headling Wraith approach.  
_They have fallen victim to the ent's mind,_ Wraith heard the psionic's voice in his head. _We can't pull them out. It's all up to the Soothsayer now_.

Wraith sighed deeply and turned to find Commander Roghallach. He gave a short bow to the elf and remained doubled over to speak silently, "Take the Cores to Haven. Leave only Camo with us. Now is the time to make a plea for Ghost Roaster."  
Roghallach's eyes flickered to the group in the mindscape. "I understand. The hour grows late as it is. Swarm should have Grandmaster Eon in the queen's presence soon enough."  
Wraith straightened up. "I promise to keep you abreast of events. The issue of the transgression that led to all of this," Wraith held his arms out as he looked around, "will be addressed once the others have been freed."  
Roghallach turned away for a moment before he looked back to the giant, "You have involved other psionics for the remaining poisoned individuals."  
Wraith nodded, "It will take far too long to accomplish it at the current rate. The psionics have shared information gleaned from Camo's experience and what Seraphina passed along before she took the Skylanders with her to try and arm others for the attempt."  
"Send for me as soon as the royal family has awakened."

The hulking giant stepped backwards as the elven captain turned first to inform his equal of the change in events then addressed the Core Skylanders. "I ask you to remain here with us, Crevan of Hawk Ridge. Unless you would rather be privy to the issue of the spirits."  
The Fizzling scratched his right shoulder as he looked between the groups. "I believe Queen Elanniah expects my attendance in conjunction with Windy's group. I will remain here."  
Camo carefully approached the group with his head down, "Roghallach told me to stay here while he takes the others back?" the hybrid questioned.  
"Yes, hopefully you can help us with that infernal ostrich," Wraith scowled. Fright had done nothing but amble around the area and head butt Rider nearly every five minutes. The poor bird was clearly addled by his companion's absence.  
The leafy hybrid's head came up, "No promises."

The elven ships were streamlined and swift schooners with two masts and oars shaped more like fins than the traditional paddles. The hulls were a soft blue with gold detailing and sails the color of the purest white clouds. Most of them had been moored in the great lake on the border of the forest but a few still sailed lazily through the air in a holding pattern around the sections of the forest the drow would be most likely to exit from. Some of the boats were being loaded with high profile drow prisoners to be taken in for questioning while others waited for less extravagant cargo ships to simply remove them from Tour and maroon them on an uninhabited island elsewhere. In the light of the triple moons the ships seemed to glow with an etheric and beautiful light that night. The surface of the lake was similarly reflecting the pale moonlight off its gentle ripples.

If not for the fact that Commander Roghallach had to personally present the Skylanders to the queen then the Cores could have simply employed the use of a portal. The Commander was unable to utilize such a method without Seraphina's assistance so an escort service had to be arranged. Drifting alongside the commander was none other than the spirit priest Uriel; he too would be joining them to make his case before the Queen of Haven.  
"I still think it would have been better with Spyro," Gill murmured. The ship was going to be boarded mainly by Skylanders but he couldn't help looking from the commander and spirit to elven mage and gargoyle magister escorting Ghost Roaster.  
"And if we kept the queen and Eon waiting?" Lightning Rod questioned.  
"Spyro has always represented us," the gillman insisted.  
"He's busy trying to clean up someone else's mess," Drobot reminded Gill.  
"I'm just saying," Gill began.  
"We know, we know. Let it be, Gill," Sunburn said with a roll of his eyes. "We're not helpless without him, you know."

"I never said," Gill sputtered, "it's just that as our leader… Oh forget it," the amphibious Skylander waved the thought off.  
"Master Eon'll be there, lad. Don't worry yourself sick now," Ignitor said softly. The fire spirit looked back on the procession of Skylanders. What an odd sight they made with so many colorful individuals amid the armored elves and captured drow. The sight of gargoyles was few and far between. They seemed to bring out drow then return into the darkened forest.  
"Hey Ignitor, what should we expect when we get there?"  
The aforementioned Skylander turned to find Whirlwind had come up behind him. She had her head cocked to the side curiously and her large, bright eyes said he had her full attention. "It is late," he stated the obvious, "The queen may've already retired for the night and our request to meet with her could've roused her from slumber. I expect she may not be as generous as we 'ope."

"Not the most desired of outcomes, huh?" Stump Smashed questioned as he squinted through one eye. "Coulda been avoided if someone learned some self-control!"  
"Hush ye rotten ol' stump," Jet-Vac hissed at him. After getting used to seeing him on the back of an orniteryx he looked strange to be walking on his own again. "Ye'll not be helping matters with talk like that."  
"Ain't tryin' ta help. Just speakin' my mind. S'all."  
"I would like to request that when we arrive in Haven you leave the speaking to others with a bit more eloquence," Wham-Shell said with a glance towards the tree creature.  
"Fine by me," Stump Smash shrugged, "I ain't the one that got us in trouble."  
Wham-Shell shook his head rather than respond. Everyone was tired and on edge with the upcoming meeting.

Commander Roghallach climbed the gangplank to board the elven schooner alongside Uriel.  
_They are nervous_, Uriel told Roghallach. _I am upset over the accident but there is no need for them to look as if they are approaching the hangman_. The spirit glanced over his shoulder and more than a few Skylanders stiffened.  
The commander inclined his head, "Let them feel what they will. There is still the matter of Queen Elanniah's reaction."  
Uriel looked up suddenly towards the huge floating mass of Haven. _I have never been to Haven. I have not even set foot outside of Uzern in;_ he paused as if to think and looked back towards the escort that stayed on either side of Ghost Roaster even on the ship's deck. _Nearly eight hundred years_, he finally said.  
"That is a long time, Prime," Roghallach answered. He stepped onto the deck and swept towards the cabin. "We depart as soon as the Skylanders have boarded," he said to the pilot.  
_Time means little when you no longer have the daily worries associated with life._ The Prime High Priest sounded forlorn, mournful almost.

The news didn't settle well with Camo. He kept pacing around Cynder, Hex, Stealth and Meilyr while he studied them carefully. They looked no different from the others; all were sitting as if in a trance. There had been only that initial jerk of movement then the quartet stilled once more. "How do you know they are trapped?" he looked to the nearest gargoyle psionic. It was Stone Fist, the brown and white unicorn styled gargoyle that had helped Camo remember the true way of things.  
"We can't find their minds anymore. They have sunk in so deeply all they are has been incorporated with who he is," Stone Fist pointed to Timber. "If they are not separated soon they will never return."  
The forest dragon sat down heavily; it looked more like he had collapsed. "I got lucky?"  
"Yes. You got lucky."  
Camo looked back at Stone Fist, "Doesn't feel lucky. But I guess it's better than what happened to them. How do you separate them?"

"We don't," Stone Fist said as he sat down next to the dragon. "_She_ does."  
He didn't even have to point; Camo already knew who it was. "How does she do it?"  
"She finds them and separates them. As if cleansing the ent's mind of the touch from the Shadows wasn't enough."  
"Does she know?" Camo couldn't hide the panic anymore. He thought his heart was pounding so loudly that certainly every creature in the forest could hear it.  
"Unless they were separated she should know."  
Camo didn't have the heart to ask anything else. He let his shoulders roll forward in defeat as he watched the individuals he knew to be lost. How strange it was to think of them lost when they sat before him. His eyes flickered up to Fright; the ostrich had finally sat down behind Rider and looped his neck around to place his head in the elf's lap. Fright's glowing blue eyes lacked eyelids but his state of slumber or awareness could be determined by the glow itself. The brightness of them said he was still completely aware.

"Why did you want me to remain?" Camo turned his neck back to Wraith. The palace plaza was nearly empty now. No elves remained; it was only eleven gargoyle psionics, up originally from just three, and the Skylanders.  
"For two reasons," the Hot Headling answered. "One so there is a familiar face for all of the bound individuals and secondly for your experience within Sprint's mind."  
Camo squinted and shook his head, "What help can I offer in that?" Camo failed in his attempt to help her, what could he possibly have to offer?  
"They are working to free the rest of your Portal Master's Skylanders," Ginny-Li said with a hand extended to three gargoyles that sat near Lunar. "What you learned can help them navigate the minds of others."

"But everyone is so different," Camo said in confusion. "How can my experience with Sprint help with the others?" He looked back to Lunar as if the answer would be there.  
Ginny-Li and Wraith both turned to the Swarmling for an answer. "It is your familiar relationship with the individuals that helps the most." Nivaeus might not have had his psionics at the moment but that didn't mean he didn't understand what the others were doing. "They can cloak themselves in that feeling so the trapped mind is more at ease with their intrusion. Your experience also lets them judge how bad the corruption is so they can prepare accordingly. They won't have constant input from you about what certain things might mean but a start is something at least. They're trained at what they're doing. Leave it to them and just trust that they can do it."

The answer was hardly satisfying to Camo but he let it be anyway. "Sprint!" he gasped when he finally realized the Stealthling was sitting up.  
"Whoa," she said as she looked around. She could see the remains of battle but any corpses had long ago been cleaned. She was most interested in the gargoyles. "No elves?" As she climbed to her feet Camo was right there for her to lean on. She didn't need the assistance but took it anyway to let the Core feel needed. "Um, hi," she blinked at the giants. At first she thought the Ninjiniling was Mystic but she held herself differently.  
The Hot Headling thumped his balled fist against his chest, "Wraith Marble."  
"Ginny-Li Marble," the Ninjiniling replied.  
"And I'm Nivaeus Marble," the Swarmling finished.

"You're all related?" Sprint glanced back to the Hexling, Flashwingling and Ignitorling. What were the odds of other families being Skylanders as well?  
Nivaeus laughed at the look Ginny-Li had when she met Wraith's eyes. Obviously the two of them thought the idea of being related was preposterous. "No, we identify ourselves by our clan names. Marble will follow our names for a formal introduction."  
"Oh," Sprint nodded. "Someone mind fillin' me in on what the blazes is going on here?"  
"You might wish to take a seat," Crevan said as he appeared from out of nowhere, "It will be a long one."

Teranika had asked that Sean not send her into Skylands immediately. She wanted the Portal Master to come with her and he needed to make himself presentable. It also gave Teranika time to think. She kept glancing to the figures that were Seraphina and Eloryn. It felt so good to be near them again and to know she wasn't going to lose them again. The Stealthling knew the two of them were tied up in matters elsewhere; Sean was startled when he couldn't hail either of them and Teranika was no less worried herself. She had decided to go to Tour instead but only after Sean had acquainted her with her new surrogate Skylander family. Perhaps her aunt and uncle, the queen and king, could shed some light on the situation with her cousins.

The door to the portal room opened and Sean strode in fresh from a shower in shorts and using a towel to work the excess water from his hair. "You almost ready, Teranika?" he asked as he walked by the shelf that held all of his Skylanders. He took very good care of them, it was cleaned daily and his Skylanders were never cluttered on it.  
"By the light, Sean, you are just as bad as Sam was!" she chided him.  
Sean looked down at himself, he was decent enough. Maybe he didn't have shoes or a shirt but the pants were the most important thing anyway. His roommate was male but he had enough female Skylanders to be more aware of how he walked around in his home. "I'll be right back," he excused himself and turned to leave the room again. When he returned it was with a shirt and flip-flops and damp hair that at least had been combed. "Do I meet your expectations now?"  
He looked like one of the vacationing mabu Teranika saw on nearly every island in Skylands but he was presentable at least. "Yes. I am ready to go now."

Teranika closed her eyes as she arrived on Sean's island. She inhaled deeply of the night air and let her ears focus on the sounds of crickets and a lone owl. She felt a vibration from Sean's arrival and it made her shiver. She had a new Portal Master now and was back in Skylands. She could be reunited with friends and family again.  
"Looks like most everyone has either turned in for the night or is out on adventures."  
"Sam always kept tabs on us," Teranika's eyes opened as she said in surprise. "No one did anything without him knowing what and where it was."  
"All I ask of my Skylanders is that they let me know of any trouble they may get into. If I can help then I will. If not perhaps I can find someone who can."

The Stealthling pulled the mask off that she wore so Sean could see her smile. "Thank you for that."  
"Come with me, I think I can get you a room near your cousins. I don't expect you to stay in it but this way you will always have a place away from home to rest if you need it." The Portal Master walked towards the newly renovated lair. His holographic image didn't disturb the grass or dust as he moved along.  
Even in the dark Teranika could tell the building had a Tour flare to it, more precisely a Meir Valan style. She had a feeling that while within it she was going to feel right at home.

The elven schooner glided through the air silently, the ship's engines were a well-oiled machine that didn't even so much as shudder. Maybe that was because unlike the ships Sprocket was used to the elven craft were powered by crystals instead of combustion engines that required regular refueling. Sprocket was impressed with it; she sighed as she leaned on the railing and looked down on the tops of the elfwood trees. She wished she could appreciate the craftsmanship more but her thoughts were too occupied with other things.  
"Why so blue?"  
Sprocket didn't have to glance to the side to see Wham-Shell join her. His natural armor shone in the light of the moons. With the bluish glow of them he looked black with the slightest hint of red in the highlights. "Do I have to explain myself?" the golding asked. Her normally golden hue looked muted in the blue light and had turned greener if anything.  
"I find that even if the problem is obvious it still can be therapeutic to talk about it."  
"You sound like a girl," Sprocket gave the barest of smirks. "More so than me."

Wham-Shell chuckled, "I may no longer be a king but I learned that a good king is always aware of what his people think and feel. I find this should be true for your friends as well and comrades in arms."  
The golding shook her head, "Just upset. I had really looked forward to exploring Tour. I know tech is my thing but the eirian bond with nature fascinates me. How they can accomplish things without technology I find incredible. I may not get the chance to study one of the last true elven nations after this." The golding looked over her shoulder to Commander Roghallach and the few soldiers that had boarded the ship as well. "Now that I have seen eirian with my own eyes I can understand how people can confuse them with goldings. But I also see differences that are obvious to me. Eirian skin tone glitters in its metallic hue; golding skin is solid like chrome. They are affiliated with the earth, we with the expansion of technology."  
Wham-Shell clasped his hands together and glanced to Sprocket with his large blue eyes. "This was to be a sort of self-exploration for you; do you doubt your chosen path?"

"It's not that," the golding replied as she turned around to lean her shoulders against the rail instead. "I just wanted to see life from another viewpoint. They say you never truly understand another culture until you live as they do. I find the lack of technology strange and their methods to mimic what it can do peculiar. Oh don't get me wrong, they're not completely devoid of technology but for the eirian it's more about magic that can do the same thing. If I can combine the two I might be able to create a much cleaner fuel source that's both renewable and affordable. So the areas that have taken to technology can still get the benefits of the application and integration of magic."  
"Very insightful of you. I can see why you joined the Skylanders. Aside from your uncle, that is."  
Sprocket's head bobbed in a slow nod, "I will find him," she ended with the click of her tongue. A port came into view across the ship and Sprocket stood up straighter, the ride had been faster than she expected. "Looks like we're here. And we have an escort waiting."  
"Priests," Wham-Shell said in surprise. "I suppose Ghost Roaster's status of undead traveled with the news. Keep your chin up, my dear. Something tells me we're making this out to be worse than it is."

Haven was founded by the elves that had survived and escaped from Uzern and it looked it. Structures seemed to have grown out of the stone that was rich in the area and plant life was allowed to grow up the sides of certain structures. Even at the docks that fact was obvious; Roghallach departed the boat first and greeted the High Priest that led the others. She wasn't Haven's Prime but she was the Legate and second in command.  
"I am well aware of the impression I make by having such a number with me," the Legate replied to Roghallach's statement.  
"You must understand, Legate Muriel that I am representing the accused in this matter. I take full responsibility for his whereabouts, actions and repercussions."  
"I see one elven mage and one gargoyle magister amid a group made up races so different they manage to look alien as a whole. Are you sure you understand the danger of such a creature in your custody?" Muriel raised a brow in question.  
Roghallach felt offended and did his best to not show it. "He is a Skylander, Legate. He could not rise to such a position if Grandmaster Eon did not have faith in him."  
Muriel made a face, "Yes, I heard the same story from the spirit of the Portal Master before we left. Very well, you have your precautions and I have mine." Muriel stood her ground and raised her chin slightly.

Roghallach came back onboard with a sour look that smoothed out when Gill Grunt approached him. "We have an escort," he said in irritation. "Walk as if they are your personal guards. Not your jailors," he told the assorted group.  
"The Legate can be… pushy," the mage standing with Ghost Roaster said sheepishly. "She bothers the Archmage all the time about the schools. Walk with them, hold your tongue and she cannot say nor do anything."  
"She doubts our skill?" the gargoyle magister did nothing to hide her offence. "Or she fears you." The brown avian style gargoyle looked to Ghost Roaster; the undead Skylander gave her a crooked grin and a shrug.  
"The flight was short but I bet the walk feels like forever and a day," Slam Bam snorted. He walked past Roghallach and was the first to set foot on the island proper. The priests didn't react at all to him and merely stood their ground with eyes straight ahead and staves held upright at their sides.

"I feel like a prisoner of war."  
"Ack, this is nuthin, laddie," Jet-Vac said with a wave to Bash. "Ye'd know if ye were a prisoner." The sky baron tapped his vacuum weapon and Bash gave him a short nod. The group had walked a good distance from the dock and finally the gates of the city had come into view. Gates was used in the loosest form of the word; the wall for the city was a natural stone outcropping with a gate embedded in the area the stone didn't touch. The city beyond was on uneven ground of sorts and the streets had an obvious slopes to them with certain areas flatter and more even. Avenues and deep channels of water ran through the city in a web, bridges were built over it and tunnels under the surrounding natural wall allowed it to flow out rather than collect inside. Still it made more than a few Skylanders wonder how Haven managed not to flood in rainy seasons.  
The guards that flanked the gate were much more pleasant than the escort of priests and even called to the Skylanders to ask how Uzern had faired. Lightning Rod replied with it still being fair and largely untouched by the drow. A few priests looked obviously relieved to hear it and seemed to soften a little with the news.

The streets of the city were quiet, Haven had retired for the night and only the occasional citizen could be seen making their way home from a local tavern here and there. The streets were lit with mage light in a soft golden color that almost resembled large clusters of fireflies. Water gurgled softly under a gently arched bridge as the entourage crossed it. Sonic Boom glanced over the edge and caught her reflection distorted slightly by beautifully colorful fish with shimmering scales that darted under rocks when they realized they had been spotted. The light reflected from the moons splashed the undersides of trees that overhung the brook with silver light that only seemed to compliment the golden mage light.

"It's beautiful," Whirlwind said breathlessly. The city had the softest glow to it, gold and silver in alternating pools. The buildings were made mainly of stone worked into such delicate lattices and scroll work that they could have only been crafted by druidic magic of old. The stone was magically altered to be a pale alabaster, very reminiscent of Uzern but a style unto its own. Upon closer inspection the blue hybrid realized there were no doors on the entrance arches of homes and windows were open without glass. The air was a perfect temperature, not too hot or cold and apparently either humidity wasn't an issue or the elves were accustomed to it.  
"Homegrown elven city," Sunburn noted. The constant glow of his feathers cast a warm orange tint on the Skylanders nearest him. "Buildings are right up against trees and placed only where trees would allow structures." Having only known the volcanic slopes of his home before he became a Skylander Sunburn could appreciate the natural beauty of the city.

Bash's thick, knobby head swung back and forth as he looked from city to escorting priests. He could admire the city for its stone work but he also felt it was so strange to see the stone worked into such delicate designs so as to structurally make it weaker. Bash saw it as art but felt it was too fragile with the alterations. He glanced to Flashwing as the beautiful gem dragon walked alongside him. She appreciated the beauty of the city more than he and Bash reveled in that deep look of approval and awe displayed clear as day on the pale dragon's face. Yes, there was something awe inspiring about the elven city's grace. Bash didn't see it holding up to any kind of enemy invasion but it was breathtaking to look at.  
"Ah swear to ye laddie," Jet-Vac chuckled softly to Bash, "If ye grinned any bigger ye'd split that face 'o yers in two."  
Bash did just that; extended his grin so much it hurt his face. What could he say? Ever since Flashwing had decided she enjoyed his company the wingless, boulder-colored earth elemental had felt as if he could walk on air.

"I cannot promise that Queen Elanniah will be in the best of moods when we arrive but I can promise that I will represent Ghost Roaster with the same respect and effort I would one of my own."  
Ignitor nodded slowly to Commander Roghallach's words. The fire spirit found it strange to be speaking of such things in the presence of Uriel, the individual that would represent the _other_ side. The Prime High Priest was amiable at least. As offended as he may have been at the issue he wasn't blinded by rage or hate; he merely wanted to see the issue brought to light and resolved. "You have my sincerest thanks, old chap. And my deepest apologies for putting you on the spot."  
Roghallach closed his eyes and lowered his head as he walked, "I have been through such visits before. Friendly-fire is an issue in combat when things get heated. The Queen is no stranger to this either. Protocol alone makes us tend to these matters. They are not taken lightly but punishment is not the same as it would be for an intentional act. That is what I must prove."  
_I will be hard when I bring my case,_ Uriel said. _It is deeply heart wrenching to lose a spirit when it is unknown what becomes of them. Has that pour soul found the light or has that outcome been denied him? _

It put things into perspective for Ignitor. He was a fire spirit; did that too make him undead? He would take damage from attacks and would weaken but in his long tenure as the knight of flames he had found nothing to extinguish his eternal fire. Water had diminished him and weakened him but not destroyed even before the curse that allowed him to retreat to Earth. The fire knight's armored head turned back with the soft screech of metal against metal as he looked to the others of his team. Most were pointing out structures to others and nearly all were admiring the elven architecture. Slam Bam was cautiously watching the priests and when he noticed Ignitor's glance focused instead on him. The yeti tilted his chin up quickly then resumed a normal posture to let the fire Skylander know he was aware that he was being watched.

"Unless I'm mistaken that would be the palace," Lightning Rod said. The other Skylanders fell silent suddenly and stopped admiring the city to stare straight ahead at the building Lightning Rod meant. I flowed out of the rock wall it was situated against and was framed by two separate branches of a waterfall that also seemed to flow right into the palace itself with the third branch. As with the other buildings it was an open air structure, walls and halls divided rooms but the rooms themselves had windows without glass. Curtains were drawn in some and billowed lightly to further illustrate the point. The only sections of the palace that didn't follow this motif were those nearest the three points of flowing water. There the windows were covered in glass most likely to prevent spray from constantly wetting the interior.  
"Don't look like a prison," Slam Bam muttered. Everyone decided it was the better choice to simply ignore the comment.

The entrance room was silent but well lit for receiving. Orbs of mage light floated in specific locations to bathe the whole of the room in a soft, etheric blue light. Water from the branch of the falls that appeared to splash into the plaza did just that and gurgled quietly under the glass flooring that covered the channels. The priests spread out in the room as a door to the side of the cascading water opened and two liveried palace servants as well as a figure clearly a member of royalty entered. The servants stayed behind him and all of the priests kneeled in a smooth transition.

"Commander Roghallach," pale haired and golden brown skinned Prince Ceron of Haven nodded to the Meir Valanier elf. "I do not see Princess Seraphina or her siblings."  
"They are involved in matters to free the minds of fellow Skylanders from a malicious psionic attack," Roghallach swept into a bow before the prince. "I will be representing the accused in this hearing."  
Ceron's golden eyes widened in surprise momentarily, "Very well, my mother waits. Grandmaster Eon has already arrived with the giant Swarm." Ceron turned and the two servants opened the door for him and then held it for the others.  
Roghallach motioned for Ghost Roaster and his escorts to proceed first before Uriel passed through followed by the commander and finally the rest of the Skylanders. The Legate waved for two others to follow her and bring up the rear.

"I feel like that little boy what was always getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar. And stealing pies off windowsills and constantly sampling the stew before it was finished. And picking at the entrée before the table was completely set," the undead ghoul said nervously as he wrung his boney hands. He wasn't expecting his escort to reply and wasn't let down when they never did.  
The walk to the audience hall was a short one and before long the group found themselves in a large open room with a circling balcony for the second floor. The balcony held palace guards dressed in light armor with richly colored red tabards emblazed with the six golden wings with crimson tips of Kaelin's station, the temporarily indisposed king of Haven. Incidentally the same color scheme was used in the elven representation of the personification of the Light; it had been Kaelin's way of showing his alignment.

The palace guards were spaced out between the arches and pillars that circled the balcony and reached down to the first floor. The first floor itself was empty save for two large, high backed chairs. The larger of the two was draped with a dark red banner embroidered with six golden wings bearing bright red tips. The second chair was occupied by the fair skinned and dark haired Queen Elanniah, a title she had given up with her son's ascension then been forced to reclaim when he was banished as a Skylander. The queen wasn't dressed as splendidly as one might expect a lady of her station. She wore a plain emerald gown with the barest hint of silver embroidery on it and a wide silver sash. Her circlet of rank was in place though; a thin filigree golden piece of artwork that sat lightly on her brow and kept most of her raven hair tucked neatly behind her elven ears. Prince Ceron walked the furthest into the room and stood at his mother's side opposite the empty chair.

Before the queen stood Swarm, the giant's posture was rigid as he kept his back straight and his arms at his sides. Eon too was present and floated next to the giant with an expression that was hard to read. Commander Roghallach motioned for Ghost Roaster's escort to pause and in turn directed the Skylanders to spread out in the back of the room. The three priests of Haven that had come with them took positions near the ghoul as added insurance. It was Uriel and Roghallach that approached the queen and kneeled before her in greeting.  
"Rise, please," she said softly. "Grandmaster Eon has brought this plight to my attention and explained to me that like me he was not present for it. The both of us would very much like to hear the series of events as they unfolded. So I leave the floor to the two of you," Elanniah looked between the commander and spirit.

Roghallach gave Uriel a nod and the spirit of the Prime High Priest began his tale. He explained in detail the spawning of the drow ghosts, Ghost Roaster's efforts to stamp them out then the accident that sent a spirit waiting for release into oblivion. He was very factual without any hint as to which side of the matter he represented.  
The commander from Meir Valan spoke next and took the blame for not properly ensuring the Skylanders understood the location in which they battled. He also stated that it was a tremendous oversight on his part for not assigning the Skylanders to trained soldiers for balance.

"Had you known of Ghost Roaster's… habits prior to the incident?" Elanniah questioned Roghallach.  
The commander shook his head reluctantly. "No, my queen. I am familiar with Skylanders but not completely knowledgeable about their more unique aspects. It is my fault for not inquiring about Ghost Roaster's skills when he arrived much later than the group I initially led in."  
Elanniah tapped a finger to her lips and looked to Ghost Roaster, "Why is it you arrived so much later?" she asked the ghoul.  
The undead Skylander looked surprised that Elanniah had addressed him and without malice in her voice. "I, uh, I came on an Arkeyan copter piloted by Flynn, the official pilot of the Cores."  
"And where is this Flynn?" Elanniah asked.  
"He departed some time ago," Sprocket answered when no one else did. "He is not trained for combat."  
"And what might your name be?" Elanniah asked her.  
"Sprocket, milady," she bowed. The golding didn't wear a dress or skirt so a curtsy would have been out of place. "I was the only other person to arrive with Ghost Roaster on Flynn's copter."

"Thank you for your reply Sprocket, in the future I would like for those that are here to represent the opposing sides to respond quicker to my inquiries. Why do I not see my daughter-in-law among the faces present? Why do I not see her siblings?"  
_They are still involved in a psionic matter_, Uriel replied. _They are unaware that any of this has transpired_.  
Elanniah nodded slowly. "Very well, am I to assume you will take full responsibility Commander Roghallach?"  
"I will," he replied with a short bow.  
"And you are to make your plea for punishment, Prime?"  
_I am_, Uriel nodded.  
"I want to hear the accused's side of the story."

Ghost Roaster stood up straight, he hadn't thought that he would need to speak for himself. The ghoul took a moment before he relayed events. He left nothing out including how delectable the drow ghosts had been and how strange it had tasted as well as felt when he snapped up the Uzernian spirit by mistake. Ghost Roaster wanted to look at the floor but each time he caught himself he made his gaze lock with Elanniah's. The queen listened raptly with the same hard to read expression that Eon wore. It was obvious that Roghallach would have preferred him to gloss some of the details but Ghost Roaster saw no point. He didn't take pride in what he had done but he was very honest about it.

"Grandmaster Eon, have you anything to add to Ghost Roaster's defense?"  
"When I first found him he had landed himself in a bit of trouble with the ruler of an undead village. As a newly made ghoul he didn't understand the repercussions of his actions. I don't believe he even understood what he himself was at that point. I worked with him to rehabilitate him and slowly his tastes changed, he desired to feed only on the corrupted specters. I kept him with me to monitor him and over time he proved to have reformed enough to allow him as much freedom as the others. He has worked alongside other undead very well for years now and I never doubted him once. I am deeply saddened by what has happened this night."

Elanniah sat back in her chair and placed her hands on the arms of it as she thought. She glanced to her son; he missed it and instead seemed intent on studying the accused's posture and body language. Elanniah turned to the same thing. She saw fear on Ghost Roaster's face, doubt and shame. The ghoul did indeed appear to understand what he had done and felt remorse over it. Elanniah looked back to the gathered Skylanders. The mood among them was much the same and most of them looked like it was their mistake rather than the ghoul's. Elanniah saw a deep sense of unity among them if so many others were sharing in the shame. The queen looked back to Commander Roghallach and Uriel. The spirit was calmly awaiting whatever came next and Roghallach stood without a hint of what he might be thinking.

"Allow Ghost Roaster to approach without his escort," the queen prompted.  
"My queen!" Muriel gasped in surprise, "I do not think it wise." She fell silent when Elanniah held up a slender hand. The Legate brooded but said nothing else.  
"Come closer," the queen said when Ghost Roaster stopped at the edge of the circular rug that the chairs adorned. "I will not bite."  
The ghoul drifted up close enough to reach out and touch her knee if he so desired. The undead Skylander found his gaze locked with the queen's.  
"It is not my place to assign punishment," she said softly. "I have had many cases such as this before when the family of a soldier killed at the hands of another accidently has approached me and demanded retribution. My involvement is merely to assure there is a record of the event and sentencing. All I can promise you is that I will not allow your demise; there is no need to make you share the unfortunate luck of the spirit. Now, you may return to your escort as I address the others."

As Ghost Roaster drifted towards his escort the queen called Grandmaster Eon, Roghallach and Uriel up to her.  
"I will leave the decision on punishment to Prime Uriel and the responsibility of ensuring it is carried out to Commander Roghallach. Grandmaster Eon if the punishment does not suit you then you may request to take council with Prime Uriel and work it out. Should that be the case you will have until sunset on the morrow to reach an agreement. Now then, Prime, have you thought about what you would ask as punishment?"  
_I can find the descendants of the departed spirit. I would like for Ghost Roaster to meet with them and explain that he may very well have robbed their ancestor of his spot in the light once the curse that binds us to Uzern is lifted_; the Prime's statement was surprising to others. It hardly seemed like punishment at all but if that was all the priest wanted then that would be what Ghost Roaster was asked to do.

"This is unrelated; forgive me for bringing it up but why does it have to be a King of Haven to set you free? Could I not do the same?"  
_The queen had already passed when we made the vow; it was only to the king. There is also the issue of blood; you married into the family and do not carry the blood of my king's line in your veins. I appreciate your offer and would have gladly accepted if it were possible_.

Elanniah closed her eyes and nodded, "Grandmaster Eon does this punishment suit you?"  
"If I may suggest an addition?" the floating head of the Portal Master began. "I would like to assign Ghost Roaster to your services for a period of two months. Allow me to speak with his Portal Master to ensure the situation is understood. You may ask whatever you wish of Ghost Roaster so long as it is nothing more than you would ask one of your own soldiers."  
"Your request is strange but acceptable. Commander Roghallach for the second half of Ghost Roaster's punishment I will release you from ensuring it is completed. Does this suit you, Prime Uriel?"  
_It does_, he replied to the queen, _I believe that indenturing him to the descendants of the lost spirit will be most suitable. I understand they may have no desire to accept and in that case I will agree to him serving the throne_.

"You have made this very easy for me and for that I thank you, sirs," the queen nodded. As the queen glided to her feet the rest of the room knelt down in respect. "Commander Roghallach, I expect you to return with my daughter-in-law and the group associated with Windy as soon as this psionic mission of hers is completed. We still have _that_ matter to discuss."  
"Yes, Queen Elanniah," the commander bowed from his kneeling position.  
The queen then addressed the whole of the room, "For those of you here that are not residents I ask that you _not_ return to Uzern. I can have my steward show you to rooms here in the palace or allow you to find rooms on your own in local inns but I will not allow a return to Uzern. Commander Roghallach, see my son before you leave and he will give you the pardon you need to re-enter the city."

The queen excused herself from the room and Muriel muscled her way in to take over escorting Ghost Roaster from the gargoyle magister and elven mage. "I will personally watch him until he has fulfilled his duties to the throne," she said in dismissal to the others.  
The gargoyle opened her beak to protest but a hand on her shoulder from the mage stopped her. She clicked her beak in irritation instead and moved away with a hard glare.  
_Allow me time to research the spirit's lineage and I will have the living relatives located_, Uriel said specifically to Roghallach and Eon. _With luck I can have the information by morning. For now I will release you. Rest, you are among the living and look weary_.

Roghallach tucked the parchment into a satchel on his waist that would allow him to return to Uzern. Prince Ceron might have been the one to give it to him but it held the queen's signature and her personal seal. It also gave passage to the gargoyle magister and elven mage. Only the gargoyle decided to return to Uzern and meet up with the rest of her clan. The Commander saw the Skylanders out of the palace, not a one had accepted Elanniah's offer for rooms within and had separated to find vacancies at inns. Some departed Haven and Tour altogether, among that number was Ghost Roaster alongside Eon. The Grandmaster had promised Muriel he would see that Ghost Roaster returned as soon as his Portal Master understood the importance of allowing his Skylander to answer to another for a while. The spirit Prime High Priest Uriel had remained in Haven and went to pay the archivist a visit to look into lineage for the unfortunate spirit. The commander went straight back to the docks, the schooner from before had moored for the night but he found a skiff willing to make the trip back to the forest. Commander Roghallach would camp out with the group in Uzern's palace plaza.

"It was an honor working with you," the gargoyle said to Roghallach with a smile. She didn't need to ride with him on the skiff per say but she did need the entrance grant he carried to return to the city. "Even though my first true mission with the Skylanders was on a darker note it was a pleasantly new experience." She sat back on the beams that served as a bench and watched the city of Haven rise above her as the craft sank lower in the sky.  
"Thank you for your assistance," Roghallach nodded to her. "I believe it was the addition of the gargoyles that helped the rout of the drow go as smoothly as it did." He brushed short red hair out of his eyes when the wind drove a lock into one. "My own adventure is not over yet."  
"No," the gargoyle shook her head, "I suppose it isn't. The psionics will most likely stay while the rest of us depart. I am tired myself." As if to illustrate her point her jaws cracked in a wide yawn.  
_The night is still young,_ Roghallach thought, _I may not find sleep until I know the royal family is safe_. Silence settled on the occupants of the skiff as it continued its journey to the lake and edge of the elfwood.


	36. Spreading the Poison

**Spreading the Poison**

The thunder was deafening and the lightning that preceded it blinding. The rain fell in a torrential downpour that hammered the poor dragons and their riders relentlessly. Spyro couldn't see through the sheets of water, his eyes were barely open as the drops came at them hard enough to sting. He knew his riders were uncomfortable and couldn't do a thing about it. He was also keenly aware of the fact that Windy's feathers weren't like a duck's and the water had severely limited her mobility. He kept urging her on and performed a risky move by breathing fire above and below her flapping wings periodically in an effort to dry some of the moisture. It seemed futile but as she was still aloft it must have helped somehow.

Their introduction into the rain storm had been sudden and abrupt, once they came out of the dizzying spiral they were greeted with the gale force winds and driving rain as well as brutal electrical discharges. To make matters worse there was nowhere to land, only an endless sea of raging waters below. From the surreal sand sea to a traditional one of water, what were the chances?  
"Spyro!" the impossibly loud voice of Niall called to him. "Eloryn and I have an idea, we need you to hear it and believe it possible for it to work!"  
The dragon's ears rang with the volume; the priest must have cast to amplify his voice over the storm. "Tell me!" he shouted back and hoped that the vibrations his riders felt would help them figure out what he had said.

The plan the two eirian had hatched seemed insane and doomed to fail. But Spyro saw merit in it as well. They were in a new frontier where the imagination ruled and nothing was impossible so the dragon was willing to give it a shot. The only thing that bothered him was how they were going to pass the information to Windy and her riders. Spyro felt the tingle in the air as his vision warped slightly and a great, clear orb began to encase him starting above and working down under him. The sound of the rain and wind vanished instantly, not even the thunder seemed to pierce the bubble they were floating in.  
"You can land," Niall said to the dragon in a normal volume. "The spell will hold us aloft and allow us forward momentum."  
"Yeah and your scales are starting to chafe me!" Pop Fizz grumbled. Rather it had to be the armor he wore as an elf but it just felt better to blame the dragon.  
Carefully Spyro touched down on the bottom, Niall had explained in full what he and Eloryn had come up with and it was done in such a way that he could get behind the idea. The dragon shrank back to his normal size; the bubble was now massive and largely empty. "Oh thank you," the dragon panted as he stretched out on his belly. His wings burned and felt so very heavy. He realized that as water dripped off his scales or the clothing of the others it failed to collect in the bottom of the sphere but rather passed right though.

"If we overtake Windy can you allow her to pass through the wall?" Eloryn asked. She had her hands clasped over her chest as she watched the other dragon and her two riders struggle to stay airborne.  
"If we can convince them quickly of the structure's safety before someone's doubt makes it fall apart," Niall nodded.  
"Man, this is way cool. I wish I was a caster as opposed to an alchemist," Pop Fizz said with a whistle. "Maybe I could make a potion that does the same thing."  
"Brace yourselves," Spyro grunted as he rose to his feet. He increased his size again and waited for the others to climb onto his back before he laid down flat on his belly to make as much room above as possible for Windy.

The hybrid didn't know what had happened, she just knew that suddenly there was no wind or rain pelting her and it had become eerily quiet.  
"We're safe!" Double Trouble laughed in glee, "The priest has worked out a way to give us a reprieve."  
Windy stretched her neck below her, her wings very nearly brushed Spyro who was looking up to her with a grin. His own wings were still, once he shrank back to normal Windy carefully landed, deposited her riders and followed suit. She was wet and miserable but at least she could catch her breath. "What next?" the hybrid gasped and collapsed on the floor of the sphere.  
"Pick a direction," Niall prompted. "Every way looks the same to me. If we can find land maybe we will have a place to start."  
"Just keep going the way you are," Rider sighed. He sat down heavily and rubbed his eyes. "Did we really lose them?"

The mood in the bubble changed instantly, for a moment the others had forgotten about the disaster in the desert. Now without their focus on surviving it all came back.  
"The psionics should have pulled them out," Eloryn said. "They are watching all of us, they _have_ to be safe!" She still didn't sound so sure of herself and it did nothing to inspire confidence in the others either. "I want to get out of here too."  
"I think you're looking at it wrong," Pop Fizz squinted at the princess. In the blink of an eye he dropped his temporary elven look and reverted to a gremlin again. "Look at it as a game and you can use cheat codes!" he said happily. Some of the others gave him a funny look. "My Portal Master does that a lot," he said with a wave. "There's almost always some code somewhere that allows her to have an edge. Unlimited ammo, all weapons. Invincibility. Why can't we apply the same logic to here? This ball thing is a start, right?"  
Spyro sat up a little straighter, "In your moments of clarity you are scary insightful."  
"I try," Pop Fizz grinned with a shrug.

"How are you to know that where we need to be is there?" Flameslinger asked Seraphina. Behind them was the tall field of corn and ahead was a huge canyon with an object that looked strikingly like a giant seed of some kind complete with a sprout of bright green growth and trailing roots that weren't long enough to reach the dirt of the canyon floor or even walls.  
"My experience has always been that the innermost part of any mind is symbolically suspended and held separate like a floating fortress. Some have been massive battle ships riding the waves of the sea during a hurricane, others have been castles in the sky and one was even a giant phoenix that constantly flew through the other mindscapes. Rarely have I ever needed to venture into one." Only after the trio had cleared the corn field did Seraphina summon her staff back to her side. "How lucky you are to have your first experience lead you into the core of someone's being."  
"Yes, lucky," Flameslinger said with a curled lip. "How are we to be arriving there?" When he turned back to look at the royal siblings he groaned loudly at the sight of their wings held out wide.

"If you were to adapt wings of your own you might find the experience much more liberating," Anicetus grinned. The prince coiled his legs, crouched down and sprang up with a strong downbeat of his wings. "You can make them look like whatever you wish!"  
"I am not one for the feathers," Flameslinger said as he studied Seraphina's wings. She had yet to take flight and seemed to be waiting for him. "They are too délicat for one such as myself. Beautiful on you ma chère, a little how you say féminin on your brother," he grinned at her.  
"Oh brother. Never let him hear you say that, please," she sighed in return.

When Flameslinger finally took to the skies it was with wings inspired by those of a common dragon or gargoyle style. The bat-style wings bore green supports the same shade as his skin and as with his desire to be flashy the membrane spread between them was pure flame. He believed they would allow him to fly and so they did. He left streamers of fire behind him reminiscent of the trails his boots would leave in the earth. "I am betting I will get there before you!" Flameslinger called to Anicetus.  
The prince looked back to his sister as if asking for permission to accept the challenge. Seraphina gave him a surprised look, he knew better than to take the matter so lightly. Still there was a part of Anicetus that was eager to test his mettle against one who thought he had already learned all there was about psionic ventures. He paused for only a moment in thought before he pumped his wings and raced off. Flameslinger laughed in delight and sped after the more experienced flier.

"Fools," Seraphina hissed. She tightened her grip on the white staff she carried and brought it up in front of her horizontally with the ground. "We have only found environmental hazards so far, the lack of nightmare crawlers worries me. We will _not_ be further separated!" Light erupted from both ends of her staff and shot out like streamers after the two racers. Upon reaching them the streamers turned into harnesses that looped around the midsections of the two. Seraphina spread her wings out and let their efforts guide her flight through the air.

Anicetus knew instantly what had happened; the addition of the harness of light didn't bother him at all. Nor did the fact his sister was now coasting along under the efforts of Flameslinger and himself. The other elf apparently hadn't noticed at all because he never hesitated even for a moment and continued to pick up speed.  
_We have met no hostile forces in this mind thus far; you would throw caution to the wind upon reaching the center of Timber's self?_ Seraphina's voice was furious and scathing as she addressed her brother. _I would expect such disregard from one unlearned but from you?_  
The prince cringed, the damage was done however and all he could do was catch up with Flameslinger. He had no reply for his sister and instead picked up speed to close the distance.

Flameslinger laughed in glee, the freedom he felt was amazing! He felt so weightless, so unrestricted. The feel of the wind running from head to toe, the lift he felt with the wings. The way the landscape raced by below him. The canyon was so deep it turned black as the light failed to reach down to the bottom. He could smell the earthy scent the floating seed-like object gave off now. Best of all he was in the lead, the prince couldn't keep up with the speedy archer. Flameslinger grinned to himself and reached up to slide his blindfold back in place, he wanted to prove without a shadow of a doubt he could win the race.  
But when his hands fell away from the newly raised blindfold his jaw dropped in surprise. Tangled in the roots of the giant seed he saw Stealth hanging limply. "Ma chère," he nearly choked. "She is still here?" Flameslinger didn't know what it meant; he didn't have a clue as to how it was possible. All he knew was the race meant nothing, getting to Stealth meant everything.  
_Do not go to her_! Seraphina said frantically into his mind. _It is not what it seems_!

The priestess's words were ignored as Flameslinger put all he had into flight. Only then did he notice the harness of light around him when it tried to pull him back. He flipped onto his back and looked down to see both Seraphina and Anicetus pulling on the line. Fluidly he took his bow in hand, drew an arrow and aimed carefully at the glowing line. Nearly as soon as he loosed it the line snapped, Flameslinger rolled over and sped off again.

"He is so infuriating!" Seraphina hissed. "Very well," she growled before she grabbed Anicetus by the wrist. In the blink of an eye the two of them were suddenly ahead of Flameslinger and between him and the figure tangled in the roots. "You will stop!" Seraphina barked in an abnormally loud voice. Anicetus slammed his hands to his ears and dropped a little lower in the air from shock. Flameslinger cringed and changed direction to slide around Seraphina instead of stopping. "You do not understand what you are up against, stop what you are doing and return to us!"  
"You are going to lose him," Anicetus muttered.  
"Stall him!" Seraphina hissed, "I will catch him as he falls." Anicetus did as his sister asked but things didn't go as planned. Flameslinger was very close to the roots and his proximity must have triggered something. The twisted roots sprang to life, the figure tangled within was drawn up suddenly into the seed-like object and Flameslinger was wrapped tightly in the organic matter.

Anicetus released the time stall on Flameslinger right when he noticed the movements of the roots. Fire flared up from within the ball of organic matter and Flameslinger emerged unscathed. "Impossible," the Core Skylander howled as he was forced to dodge more roots. He could see the two eirian heading for him but couldn't afford to spare the time to call out for them. Flameslinger went into a diagonal dive in an effort to escape the oncoming tentacles. He flipped to his back again and took aim before he released a barrage of arrows. They made dull thumps as they struck roots. Smaller roots lit up easily, larger ones simply hissed as the flames were extinguished.

"Not so fast!" a familiar voice hissed.  
Flameslinger had half turned before something struck him and altered his momentum quickly. All he could see was a wing with black fingers and magenta webbing. "Cynder!" he cried happily. "You have survived!"  
"You are trespassing," the dragon growled at him. "You don't belong here."  
"Cynder?" the elf questioned.  
"Silence!" she tightened her talons on the other Skylander and he cried out in pain. "I know exactly what to do with you."  
"What are you doing, we are on the same side!" Flameslinger yelled. The dragon didn't pay any attention to him, she angled up and the roots parted for her before she vanished with her captive into a crack on the underside of the seed.

"By the light," Anicetus exclaimed, "They have been corrupted! Meilyr…"  
"Can still be saved," Seraphina said. "One more time. Once under the seed fly up as fast as you can and do not stop until you have to!" The priestess grabbed her brother again by the wrist and willed the two of them near where Cynder had vanished. The vines began to writhe again and tried to crush the duo as they pushed their way up and into the object that represented the stronghold of Timber's mind.

Darkness greeted them on the other side, all either could hear was their own breathing and that of the other. Seraphina flared up suddenly with a soft glow that still didn't seem to penetrate the void. Anicetus too followed her lead in hopes the combination of effort would reveal something.  
"Where do we go from here?" Anicetus asked softly. His voice echoed and sounded as if he had shouted in the empty space.  
"Their awareness is weak," his sister murmured. "They are separated. Flameslinger's mind is still strong, he is safe for now."  
"Sera, I have never tried to free those trapped in another mind before."  
"I know, Ani. I know. You have to help me with this, we cannot lose anyone."  
"I hate Surpin," Anicetus said darkly. "I promise I will hunt him down myself and destroy him."  
"One thing at a time, Ani. One thing at a time."

"Land ho!" Pop Fizz exclaimed happily while pointing. "I see it, I see it!" He hopped up and down in excitement as the magic sphere drifted through the wall of rain.  
"Take us down, Niall," Spyro said as he pushed past the gremlin to get a look himself. "I think I see something, a building maybe." The dragon squinted through one eye and pressed the side of his face against the wall of the orb to try and get a better look. It was a faint image with lines and angles too perfect to be a naturally occurring structure.  
"What's the plan once we reach land?" Rider asked. "The rain doesn't look like it's going to let up any time soon."  
"We hope there's a building there and that it holds a door to another area," Double Trouble ventured forth with a guess. "I want out of the rain as much as everyone else. I want to get back on track, maybe we are on track but don't know it yet."

Windy sat quietly near Eloryn; the two seemed content to simply sit there without adding to the conversation. Windy didn't know what to think of what she had seen; it was so very different from Sprint's mind. Timber's was… empty. Maybe empty wasn't the best way to describe it but it felt lonely. Windy gave a half smile that faded quickly, lonely. Well it was better than being chased by nightmare crawlers she had to admit. The hybrid looked to Eloryn; the princess was lost in thought and stared into nothing with her fingers plucking absently at her dress. The Whirlwindling raised her head to watch Niall concentrate on guiding the sphere down to land. As they neared it the outline of the island and everything on it became clearer. Strangely enough the rain that hit the sphere also seemed to grow lighter.  
"What's on your mind?"  
Windy turned in surprise to see Rider near them. "Nothing," Windy shrugged. "Just glad this time hasn't been like the last time. I think it is taking longer though. I don't know," she shrugged again.

Eloryn looked up suddenly to Rider and Windy. "I think, I think," she wrinkled her nose and sighed. "I do not know what I think." The princess rubbed her head. "Physically we are sitting in Uzern, mentally we are here. The location is both familiar and alien to me. There are times I think my psionic clairvoyance is within my grasp and then it seems to flutter away. Maybe Seraphina's luck is rubbing off on me? If I could make use of my ability I could guide us as sure as if we had a map." The princess was frustrated, it was obvious she had grown very accustomed to her inherent talent and the loss of it during something she always linked to psionic skill had stressed her.

"You blame yourself too much for our situation," Rider said as he sat next to the princess. He laid his halberd down and folded his arms over his knees. "We're making progress. Moving forward is better than just sitting around."  
The look Eloryn gave him said she didn't think it was good enough. "We have been separated into three different groups. I have never been separated from Seraphina. She always knows where to go; she always knows how to handle anything that pops up. This is her territory; we are just along for the ride. To be on our own suddenly makes it feel so much heavier."  
"You rely too much on your sister," Windy pointed out.  
"Windy," Rider said softly. He shook his head, now wasn't the time.  
"I used to be just like that with Sprint. And when she wasn't around I thought it was all lost. I missed out on a lot because I was so scared to be on my own. You can't live your life based on how you can get help from your sister. You gonna just sit there now or are you gonna use what she's taught you and help us get out of here?"

Eloryn narrowed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.  
Windy opened her mouth to say something else but closed it without a word when Rider planted his hand in the middle of her scaled chest. "Whatever," she grumbled as she stepped away.  
"It is not as simple as she seems to think," Eloryn said to Rider. "I might know more about how to interact with this place but I am still limited by the power of the mind we travel. If the mind tried to overpower changes Seraphina made she could bully her way through with her psionics. She was always the stronger mind; here Timber has the home field advantage."  
"So, that means you can't even try?"  
Eloryn rolled her eyes, she wanted her clairvoyance back and that was that.

Rider sat with the princess for a moment longer before he nodded and stood. "I watched Cynder be swept away in the sands along with her riders the same as you. Niall says the gargoyles monitoring us pulled them the moment they felt there was no hope. I am torn over this but I lean more towards believing it. I have to, I refuse to let despair take over. I am overwhelmed and confused in this place and right now I as well as everyone else look to you and Niall to step in and help us get back on track. Niall has stepped it up. What about you, princess?"  
Eloryn stood up and walked towards Rider with a dark look on her face, the undead Skylander actually took a step back from her intensity. Eloryn closed her eyes and with a sigh seemed to deflate. "Very well. Then Niall and I will pool our knowledge to get everyone to safety."  
"Good," Rider smiled with all the charm he could tap into, "Because I know that both princesses of Meir Valan are strong, competent women who can hold their own. I look forward to working with you, Princess Eloryn," he bowed before her.

"Imagine that," Pop Fizz blinked as he held a hand up to shield his eyes from the bright sun. Once on the island the rain had vanished, not completely but it failed to touch the island. Rather the island was surrounded by a halo of blue sky and shining sun while just beyond the storm raged on. It was as if the island was protected by a sphere much like the one Niall had summoned, even the water was calm for a certain distance away from the island. "Who'da thunk it?"  
"Ugh, did it have to be a _sandy_ beach?" Spyro complained. He walked as if he were stepping in something foul.  
"Stay together," Niall commanded as he stepped ahead of the group. "Follow me. Double Trouble, watch the rear." As the priest gave orders he cast again, the crystal on his staff glowed with the spell even if its effects weren't readily seen. As Double Trouble drifted to the back so too did his staff glow with much the same lack of indication as to what the spell might be.

The sand crunched under the feet that traveled it in a steady flow of slaps and rolls as it was displaced. Everyone was on edge; Niall didn't need to tell anyone to be vigilant as everyone kept their gazes roving. The structure wasn't far down the beach; it was a grass hut that seemed to be in decent shape from the distance it was seen at. Wooden wind chimes hung from the eave that began over the door and stretched out into a decent sized awning. A sturdy wooden chair made primarily of driftwood from the looks of it was draped with a towel. A small rock with a sanded flat top sat next to the chair and was decorated with a bottle half full of liquid. By all accounts the place looked like someone lived there but where were they?

Something caught Rider's eye and he glanced back to an area of tropical trees and ferns.  
"What is it?" Double Trouble asked him.  
"Just thought I saw something," he murmured.  
Double Trouble whistled and the rest of the train looked back to him. "Rider's seen something over there," he pointed. "Is it worth investigating?"  
"Go lad," Niall nodded to him. "Alone you have a better chance of finding something. You see anything you call to us right away."  
"If you scream like a little girl I'm going to make fun of you when we get back to the others," Spyro grinned.  
"Your faith in me is astounding," Rider said sarcastically.

Something was definitely there, as Rider closed in on the location the ferns moved again. He stopped and cocked his head to the side, how was the best way to approach the area? He didn't know what it was or which way it was looking. He took a careful step forward, if he moved smoothly enough he wouldn't make much noise in the sand. Rider thought to hold his breath then realized that like the sweating he wasn't breathing. He ticked another thing off on his list of things he had forgotten how to do during his tenure as an undead elf.  
Whatever it was appeared to be moving away from Rider so he picked up his pace a little to ensure he didn't lose it. Rider glanced behind him, the rest of his group and moved closer to the hut to check it out and no one was left to watch him. When Rider turned back around he found someone standing before him.

"Light! Never sneak up on a bloke like that!" he exclaimed as he lowered his halberd. He raised an eyebrow and stared at the aqua skinned she elf in a bikini before him with the purple hair. He knew her from somewhere, suddenly it hit him. "Hex?" Rider ventured forth with a guess.  
"Rider," she said warmly with a smile and her arms out. "It's so good to see you!"  
"It is?" he asked in confusion. Hex had never used that tone with anyone before let alone appeared so warm and friendly. Rider's posture stiffened when Hex stepped lightly over the sands with a seductive sway of her hips and pressed herself against him. When Hex's arms wrapped around Rider's shoulders the elf dropped his halberd in surprise.  
"It is," she purred into his ear. "I knew you would come. Ever the clever one deciphering my messages."  
What in the world was she talking about? Hex had never been enigmatic in how she dealt with him. There was a part of Rider that thought how she was acting was wrong but another part of him was thrilled with her decision to change her mind about relationships. Rider slid his arms around Hex's waist and when she didn't pull away he let himself return her smile. "I've always found you beautiful," Rider spoke softly to her.

"I was wrong to have run you away," Hex said with a wounded look, "Can you ever forgive me?" She ran her fingers through his hair and cupped the back of his head gently.  
"I already did, the moment I bowed in respect to you and turned to leave."  
Hex's lips spread into a coy smile before she moved in closer to Rider. "Good, that means less talk now."  
Rider's eyes widened in surprise when the sorceress kissed him full on the lips. After a moment his eyes closed and he returned the favor.  
"Rider! What in the world are you doing!" Niall called suddenly.  
Rider stumbled away from Hex and turned wide eyes to the priest, he wasn't alone. Pop Fizz stood there with his jaw nearly to the ground and Spyro could barely contain his laughter. "It's Hex, I found Hex!" Rider stammered and pointed to her.  
"He's mine!" Hex hissed at the others before she grabbed Rider by the wrist and dragged him through the brush. Rider wasn't sure what to do and simply stumbled along after her.

"No! Do not let her get away!" Eloryn screamed suddenly. She ran past a baffled Pop Fizz and Spyro with Double Trouble hot on her heels and Windy not far behind.  
"You heard the princess, move!" Niall bellowed. He paused long enough to grab Rider's halberd and rushed off through the brush after the others.  
"Where are we going?" Rider called to Hex.  
"Away from them," she said darkly. "They'll try to take you away, to convince you I'm not me. But you know better, don't you? I am Hex, the woman you have always desired. You would rather be with me rather than them, right?"  
Rider stumbled, it didn't feel right. Why would Hex covet him so? Why would she fear others trying to turn him from her? "Hex, what's going on?"  
"They've been compromised. I can take you back to Seraphina where's its safe. Let her deal with them."  
Rider looked back over his shoulder, when had he and Hex crossed water? Suddenly he was on another island and the others were lined up on the shore far behind him. "Something's wrong," Rider said aloud. He tried to pry his wrist from Hex's grip but failed. A moment later and he was swept up into the air when the sorceress returned to her pale blue and black armored dragon form.

"Damn it all!" Niall hissed.  
"I'm on it, hurry!" Spyro darted out ahead of the others and took a larger form. Pop Fizz and Double trouble climbed onto his back as Windy followed his lead and let Niall and Eloryn, now carrying Rider's halberd, board. The dragons took off in a flash and sped after Hex. Her sinuous form glided through the air and she gave a defiant roar as she zipped off in another direction suddenly. Windy was the first to react and pulled into the lead.  
"If we lose her we might very well lose Rider to the same poison!" Double Trouble yelled.  
"I know, I know!" the purple dragon barked back.

Rider was clutched helplessly in Hex's front claws and could only watch the Skylanders behind him. His mind whirled with dark thoughts, what had happened to Hex? Had she fallen to the same thing the Skylander Rider was trying to rescue had? The elf closed his eyes; he couldn't watch the water race by below him without getting a feeling of motion sickness. He felt like such a fool, of course Hex wouldn't do such a quick about-face.  
"Where is she taking him?" Pop Fizz didn't really expect an answer but he had to ask anyway.  
"Don't know; just know that we can't lose them!" Double Trouble replied. He laid his staff flat alongside Spyro's flank, the last time he had flown it had been such a hassle to keep his staff from blowing away and now he was struggling with it again.

In the blink of an eye Hex was gone, simply vanished without a trace.  
"Do not stop!" Eloryn called to Windy. "Keep going and remember where Hex was when she vanished. It is a door, you can use it too!"  
"But I can't see it!" Windy screamed. "What if they're lost! What if I miss it?"  
"You can do it!" Eloryn bellowed.

Spyro had heard the whole conversation amazingly and had already plotted out the course in his mind. He began to count down as he estimated the distance to where Hex and Rider had vanished. He was three paces behind Windy; the hybrid vanished when he got to three. When Spyro hit one the scenery changed.  
"Look out!" Windy screamed in panic when Spyro nearly slammed into her. The two of them weren't expecting to emerge into a small canyon. Windy had let her surprise get the best of her and rather than wheel up to clear the other side of the canyon she had turned to the side and circled back to where she had first arrived. Her wings just barely missed Spyro's and the riders he carried.  
"Up, up!" Spyro called to her as he ascended to clear the cliff.

"They went that way!" Windy called to Spyro when he continued to fly across the landscape. She fluttered up towards the seed-like object floating above their heads. Windy just had seen the roots that hung below sway closed as Hex's tail vanished within.  
Spyro wheeled around and followed close behind the hybrid. He saw Niall cast to keep the thrashing roots away from Windy and said a silent thank you to Double Trouble when he did the same for Spyro.  
"I think I'm gonna hurl," Pop Fizz whined.  
"Not on me you don't!" Spyro snapped.

"That is where we need to be!" Windy yelled to her riders. "I know it!"  
Niall took Eloryn by the shoulder. "We will find your sister within as well. If not now we can be assured she will find us soon enough."  
"I know," Eloryn said as she tightened her grip on Rider's halberd. She didn't know how to wield it but didn't want the other elf to be without it when they found him. "It will not be long now."

There had been a brief moment of light, the flutter of wings and a deep growl before everything fell silent and dark again. Seraphina and Anicetus hadn't seen what caused the commotion, they had finally found a place to land and explore with their limited sight.  
"One of the dragons?" Anicetus asked with his head craned back in the direction of the sound.  
"Rider is here," Seraphina replied. "And Hex, weakened as the others."  
"What about Meilyr, can you sense Meilyr?"  
Seraphina closed her eyes and shook her head. "He is not here, Ani."  
The expression the prince wore seemed to clash with the friendly glow he was emanating. "Curse the luck! We need them all in one place to make it easier!"  
"I worry about Meilyr too, I will find him before it is too late." The priestess took a deep breath, "Come on, we need to keep moving. Timber knows we are here and if we can find him first things will be in our favor."  
"What of the others, Eloryn's group?"  
Seraphina looked back over her shoulder, "Not far behind. They follow Hex after her abduction of Rider. Leave them for now; we need to draw the most attention to keep them safe. They can take care of themselves once we are seen as the larger threat."

"How do you plan to draw more attention than the others?" Anicetus questioned.  
"By altering as much of the scenery as I can. Be on your guard, brother. I need to know that you have my back." The priestess moved away from her brother slightly, still close enough for them to stretch their arms out and make contact but far enough away to not be crowded.  
"If you exhaust yourself," Anicetus said slowly.  
"Pray that I do not," she said as she met her brother's worried gaze. Seraphina took a deep breath and all at once the darkness fled. Instead it was replaced by the purest blue sky above with the bright rays of mid-morning sun. Lush grass stretched out seemingly forever in all directions. Tall trees, not the magnitude of elfwood trees but still impressive in their own right, sprouted up and reached towards the sun with branches full of bright leaves. The only area not populated by the towering trees seemed to be where Anicetus and Seraphina stood. The sky was open to them and there was enough room for several full grown dragons to spread their wings. As soon as the trees had stopped growing and the thick shafts of light that broke through the canopy had stabilized the undergrowth began to sprout. Flowering shrubs, those with berries. Vines, moss, lichen and wild flowers popped up to add color and variety to the forest floor.

"Sera," Anicetus warned. She didn't stop there; the forest was filled with the calls of birds and other wildlife. Anicetus saw the brightly colored feathers of birds as they flocked through the trees and saw smaller furry forms dart by and into burrows or through undergrowth. The place had come alive with a gentle breeze and Anicetus could smell the warm bark where sun touched the trees as well as fresh, fertile soil and the musk of various animals. "Sera stop. The detail is overwhelming. I think you have drawn enough attention. I thought you wanted to find Timber before he found us?"  
The priestess sighed deeply and leaned on her staff for a breather. "I have decided we do not have the time to continue playing hide and seek. We end this now."

The void of darkness exploded into color and life suddenly around the two dragons nearly as soon as they had commented on the emptiness.  
"Whoa, did we trigger something?" Spyro asked as he was forced to land. He had become tangled in tree limbs with the sudden appearance of the forest. When he finally found the forest floor he saw Windy had already returned to her normal size and the two eirian elves stood next to her with their gazes roving the forest.  
"This is Seraphina's work," Eloryn said happily. She dropped Rider's halberd without a thought and bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly.  
"How can you be sure?" Double Trouble asked.  
Eloryn moved to a purple orchid and plucked it. It didn't look like any orchid the others had seen before. Behind the purple orchid's blossom was a golden sunburst, like it had been the casing of the bud before it had bloomed. The princess then pointed to another flower with a vibrant red bloom that was trumpet-like with a bulbous attachment to the stem and tapering opening. Growing on the stem and positioned just right to look like a halo around the flower was a golden hoop. Eloryn removed her circlet and held it in her hand for others to see what she had recognized. "The orchid is Seraphina's symbol. The red flower looks like my egg shaped ruby. This is Seraphina's work."

"Why alter the scenery?" Windy asked in confusion.  
"She intends to draw Timber out," Niall replied. "And any security he has implemented. Namely our companions who have begun to merge with Timber's awareness."  
"But she stressed how important it was to _not_ do that!" Spyro gasped. "Why would she break the rules she made sure we wouldn't forget?"  
"Because of the others," Pop Fizz said slowly. His ears drooped and he turned wide, sad eyes up to meet the gazes of his fellow Skylanders. "Because we could lose them if something isn't done to set them free. I don't want to lose anyone. We're a team, now and always. What can we do to help?" he asked Eloryn. "What can our skills offer?"  
"Your potions, Pop," the princess replied.  
"They can still affect people, of course!" Windy bounced around. "Wait, how? I mean don't they gotta know what the potion will do before it can do it cuz this ain't like real life where acid burns you even if you don't know it's acid." The hybrid took a deep breath following her run-on.  
"Leave it to me," the gremlin grinned. "You just tell me when to use 'em and I can take care of the rest."

"Care to cast an invisibility spell, Niall?" Eloryn spun to ask him. "One that lets us see others under it but anyone not present during casting sees empty space?"  
The priest chuckled, "If we keep our heads down then we can move around undetected."  
"Then you better cast a spell to hide our scents or Cynder will be able to find us," Spyro warned.  
"Might as well gift everyone with stealth while we're at it," Double Trouble murmured.  
The sloshing of liquid drew attention to Pop Fizz, "Group effort. Niall makes us ninja vanish, Trouble does the über neat stealthy skills schtick and I got the no smelly bodies thing." He passed around a vial of pale yellow liquid. "Hope you like lemonade! Me, I love the stuff. If I could _all_ of my potions would taste like it!"  
Windy watched the two casters prepare their spells. "After we're ready, what next?"  
"We wait to see where everything is going down," Spyro grinned. "We fix this nightmare and go home. Man I'm gettin' tired." Without skipping a beat the dragon downed the potion Pop Fizz had given him and smacked his lips, it was the best damned lemonade he had ever tried.

Black lightning struck the ground and made Seraphina jump to the side. A shadow blocked the light for a moment and when she looked up the priestess saw the unmistakable shape of Cynder circling back around for another pass. The dragon was massive once more and carried a single rider. As she swooped down her narrow jaws opened for another screech and jagged bolts of electricity.  
Anicetus snagged the dark blue cape he wore suddenly and brought it up to shield himself and Seraphina from the debris that showered down after the strike of lightning kicked it up. "That was quick."  
"Timber thinks familiar faces will make us hold back," Seraphina said as she stepped out from the protective cover of Anicetus's cape. "He is not very understanding on how psionics work. If I hold back we lose them. I cannot allow that." The princess shielded herself as Cynder made yet another pass and opened her jaws to let loose a stream of sickly green liquid that just as quickly turned into a mist. Any plant life the mist touched turned brown and shriveled away. The dragon howled and swooped in for a final time at a distance to deposit her rider in the clearing Seraphina had deliberately left open around her.

"Meilyr," Anicetus choked. Of course it would be his friend. After all it had been Stealth that temped Flameslinger away and if he had put the pieces together correctly Hex had taken Rider. Who else could get under his and his sister's skin better than the elf they had grown up with?  
"We need not do this, Princess," Meilyr said to Seraphina as he strode through the clearing toward her. His expression was soft, kind and he looked at her with the respect he had always felt for the eldest princess. "We have always been on the same side." He hadn't drawn his sword yet and extended his hand. "You could shape this place however you wish. Join us and make this place yours. Make it _ours_."  
"I have my own niche, one more splendid than this sad attempt," the priestess said while drawing herself up taller. Meilyr was as much a part of Timber now as Timber was himself. Any insults Meilyr heard so too would Timber.

Meilyr shrugged and turned to Anicetus, "My best friend, would you turn your back on our friendship now?" He reached out a little further to tempt the prince to follow him.  
"It was _you_ that turned your back on us!" Anicetus snapped. His skin flushed and he went for his blade. "You betrayed us, Meilyr! You betrayed your country, king and family! What will your father think?" The only way Anicetus would be able to face Meilyr was if he convinced himself his oldest friend had been treacherous of his own will.  
"My father does not rule me!" Meilyr shouted back. His blade seemed to simply appear in his hand without him physically having to draw it. "Very well, you are either with me or against me!" His statement was punctuated by Cynder's roar as the dragon circled back around to scatter the area with lightning near the two eirian opposing Meilyr. "We will end your lives if you cannot see that our offer is a generous one!"  
"You can try," Seraphina said as she took her staff in hand to use as a pole arm. "I will not make it easy."  
"Nor will I," Meilyr snarled. With a bellow of rage he charged out to meet Anicetus's leading sword.


	37. The Night Wears On

**The Night Wears On**

The room was dark; the only light was what managed to creep around and under the door to filter through the plush carpet. Somewhere outside dogs barked and howled at the distant sound of sirens. It wasn't a room in Skylands but rather back on Earth. That became apparent when a shadow first blocked most of the light that seeped under the door then pushed said door open with a click of the door knob and a rush of air from the hallway.

Slippered feet scuffled across the carpet as a young figure moved into the room. Dressed for bed her long, rose kissed auburn hair showed signs of having recently been taken out of a ponytail. The light switch by the door was ignored in favor of a decorative lamp made of brass and frosted glass in the shape of a helicopter. It was old and the tail section was loose as well as missing one of the rudders. Once on the room was filled with a soft glow akin to a nightlight and the shelves within turned into recognizable shapes.  
"Krystal?" a female voice called.  
"Yeah, s'me," the figure replied as she made her way to a shelf about waist high filled with Skylanders. The Portal Master's pale hand drifted over the assembled Skylanders until she found the one that had spoken to her. "Any news, Quartz?"  
"None, I'm sorry," the Sonic Boomling said softly. "Skele and Leo are here as well. They're resting, I took the first watch. Everyone else is still trying to gather information in Skylands."

Krystal looked to the Chop Chopling and Warnadoling before she sat Quartz back down. She turned her gaze back to the group that was stuck to the shelf next to the portal via black tendrils of shadow energy and gasped, "Sprint is free!"  
"Why hasn't she returned?" Quartz asked excitedly. "She could bring us the news the others can't get since none of us have been able to enter the city you sent everyone to."  
"Maybe she's working to free the others?" Krystal mused. "I'm worried, Quartz. I talked to other Portal Masters who then asked more and no one has ever heard of those black things." She touched Steek again; the Ignitorling didn't budge no matter what she tried.  
"Bring Camo, Windy or Sprint back to talk to?" Quartz suggested.

"What if I take them away from something important and they can't get back to it just like no one else can enter the city?" Krystal ran one hand through her hair and rest the other fist on her hip as she looked to Quartz.  
Quartz sighed, "It's no news or chance making their efforts fall apart."  
"I hate this!" Krystal stomped her foot. "I wish I knew one of the other Portal Masters with Skylanders present!" She rubbed her eyes, it was late for her as well and sleep was hard to come by with the worry hanging over her head.

"Try to get some sleep, Krystal. You need your rest as much as we do. There is nothing to be done right now. All we can do it wait. Rest, the time will pass quicker for you then."  
"Yeah," the Portal Master sighed in defeat. "Yeah, you're right." She rubbed at her tired eyes; she had spent so much time on the computer looking for any information available on the strange affliction that had befallen her Skylanders. If anything it seemed she was the first to experience it and people were asking _her_ to keep them updated on the situation. With another sigh Krystal left the room.  
Quartz settled back into her thoughts as the silence returned. She hadn't even noticed that the dogs and sirens outside had fallen quiet. She realized Krystal had left the light on but decided to let it be, she didn't want to bring the Portal Master back in and get her thoughts racing again. Quartz didn't have to worry however; Krystal came back in on her own with a pillow, big blanket in tow and her cell phone in hand.  
"I'm camping here," she stated as she pulled out one of the gaming chairs from against the wall. It had no legs; rather it sat right on the floor and rocked gently if the occupant leaned back enough. Krystal situated it near the shelf with the Skylanders, not so close that she couldn't see the figures on it but not so far that she needed to dash clear across the room if something happened. "Wake me if anyone comes back," she said as she busied herself in making a nest for the night.  
"You'd be more comfortable in a bed, Krystal," Quartz said gently. "It's not like we wouldn't remember to tell you of anything we learned if you weren't right here with us the whole time."

Krystal stretched her legs out against the floor and rested her head on the pillow once she was in the chair. "I want to be here, Quartz," the Portal Master said firmly. "And you can't change my mind." She spread the blanket out over her once she kicked her slippers off. Her feet were covered in miss-matched socks of solid powder pink for one and neon stripes of orange and green on the other. The socks were just in case she pulled the blanket off her feet. The look she gave the Sonic Boomling was equal parts defiance and determination.  
If she could have moved, Quartz would have bowed her head. "I will make sure Leo and Skele know what to do if something happens on their watch. Go to sleep, Krystal."  
The Portal Master gave the Skylander a crooked little grin, "Yes Mother."  
Quartz muttered but said nothing else. In the silence that followed Krystal eventually drifted off to sleep despite her best efforts to stay awake and watch the figures. Quartz wished she had been able to do something, she would have moved Krystal to a bed if so. As much as the Sonic Boomling might have been adamant about never becoming a mother she had adapted surprisingly well to her cursed form and the hatchlings that came with it.

Commander Roghallach Tierney of Meir Valan found the ancient holy city of Uzern transformed with so many of the elves and gargoyles that had come to its aid now gone. The city was silent, even the spirits seemed to have turned in for the night. Every once in a while the commander saw an armored individual, living or not, ghost by on patrol and he would nod to them as they did to him. The drow had cleared a lot of the growth from buildings they had deemed worthy of occupation and Roghallach could see some of the ancient symbols that had adorned them at one time. Those symbols were invisible during the day but seemed to charge with the filtered sunlight and would glow softly at night. Some of those symbols had received enough light to do so then and in instances where they provided enough light there was an absence of mage light or drow torch remains.

Roghallach's walk through the city was uneventful, just as the drow had been removed so too had the orniteryx and trekkers. The animals couldn't be allowed to run wild in the city, there weren't enough of the right food sources for them to survive. The commander wished he had one to shorten his walk but it was too late to change. After over an hour the eirian commander finally reached the palace plaza. As earlier it held the most outsiders. On top of the bound Skylanders and those helping them were the four that had remained in Uzern and a total now of twenty five psionics. The number had increased for several reasons, one was so the members watching the group of Skylanders in the mindscape could cycle out for rest and the others to do the same for the two smaller groups made up solely of gargoyles that worked on different individuals. There was yet another group in discussion about how to handle the unfortunate Skylanders that had been absorbed by Timber's mind.

"Status report," Roghallach prompted Crevan as he approached the Fizzling.  
"Sprint has been given a clean bill of health and has gone right back to sleep." The gremlin looked to an area spaced apart from the psionics and found the Stealthling stretched out on a bed of tightly woven vines. Next to her with his eyes glinting in the mage light as he watched the psionics was Camo sitting atop another mat of vines. Nivaeus and Ginny-Li were sleeping on their own much larger mats and Wraith alone was up pacing through the bound Skylanders. "I have set aside potions meant to restore stamina. The psionics are going to administer them soon to the mindscape group of Skylanders to prevent them from wearing themselves out. No one is sure what would happen if they tire to the point of mental and physical exhaustion. No one wants to chance them _not_ returning to Earth to recuperate." The Fizzling waited for the commander to speak again and after a while decided to ask something himself, "How did it go?"

"Ghost Roaster's punishment is to find the descendants of the spirit he obliterated and inform them that he robbed their ancestor of his place in the light." The commander paused when Crevan cringed and hissed, "He has also been tasked to serve the family for a set amount of time. If they refuse him then his service falls to the crown."  
Crevan nodded, "Better than I had feared and about what I had expected. The other Skylanders?"  
"Some have taken rooms in Haven and others have presumably gone back to their Portal Masters. I half-way expect to see more Skylanders in Haven tomorrow and maybe even a Portal Masters or two's hologram."  
"The psionics doubt Seraphina will finish any time soon. The gargoyles trying to speed the process are not having much luck themselves. Surpin and Bane purposely rooted everything deeply to waste as much of our time as possible."  
Roghallach sighed in shame, "I am ever so grateful that we do not have to deal with such underhanded psionic tricks ourselves."  
"If Kaos takes the bait we might."  
"Let us hope it does not come to that, Crevan," Roghallach said as he ran his hand over his face. Light, he was exhausted himself.

"Here," Crevan said softly as he handed the commander a pale orange potion. "A mild stamina potion, it should take the edge off. I would not suggest staying up much longer however. As soon as the psionics are content with my potions bolstering the adventuring Skylanders I am going to go rest myself. Camo has made enough mats for everyone here to bed down. They are stacked near the old alchemist's shop."  
"Thank you," Roghallach said as he drank the potion and returned the vial to Crevan for disposal. "I will take rest once Wraith has been informed of events. Should you leave Skylands tonight do not return here to Uzern, the queen has forbidden it. Go to Haven and leave word with the palace guards of your whereabouts and I will find you when we are ready to meet with the queen over the original issue."  
Crevan's eyes flickered to Windy and he nodded his understanding.

Even though the hour was late Teranika still found a full welcome when she arrived home in Meir Valan. The king and queen greeted her in their bed clothes and asked so many questions about what had happened that Teranika's head was still spinning. After the royal couple had returned to bed the Stealthling joined her sister Morwen and cousin Amara in the common room the ladies in waiting shared. Aelwen had stopped in to welcome Teranika back then instantly demanded everyone go to bed before she made her exit. It was obvious the three had no plans to yet, they sat in plush chairs with goblets of wine in hand.

"We have not heard any news from Uzern since the others departed for the city so it would be nothing but speculation on why Seraphina and Eloryn cannot be hailed by your Portal Master," Amara said as the wine haired lady sipped at her drink.  
"The drow must be giving them trouble," Morwen added. She had her left arm folded on the arm of the chair so her head could rest on it while her right was draped across her lap and held the goblet. In a very unlady-like posture she had her feet drawn up beside her on the chair. "Maybe they figured out a way to cut Portal Masters off from their Skylanders?"  
The question hung in the air for a good while, the three ladies only stared into their wine and sipped at it occasionally. "I would like to change the subject," Teranika said at last.

"Do you have any idea what might have happened to Rafer?" Amara felt horrible for asking but knew Teranika had to expect the question sooner or later.  
Morwen quickly lowered her goblet, "I am amazed that this whole time you have been so close to Seraphina and never knew it."  
Teranika's expression turned pained, "Rafer was taken from my side one morning when Sam went to school and I never saw him again. It is possible he is in the same area but the chances of finding him are still very low." She swirled her wine around and stared forlornly into the dark red fluid. The Stealthling sighed and changed the subject, "How is Eloryn?"  
"Moody," Morwen grumbled sourly with a dark look. "She has no love for the form she was cursed with."  
"A Flashwingling," Teranika nodded before she raised her goblet to her lips. "I can understand her discomfort but it is not a foul form. I have worked with several Flashwinglings and they are the most beautiful dragons I have ever seen." The Stealthling set down her now empty goblet and her sister rose smoothly to refill it. "No, Morwen. I do not wish to drown my sorrows in wine. I just want to talk."  
Morwen shrugged and refilled her own goblet. "Are you not anxious about Uzern? About the lack of news?"  
"It will reach us when it is time. And I am not overly worried about our cousins. They are Skylanders and can take care of themselves."  
"They said the same of you. I was furious with them for not spending every waking moment searching."

Amara watched Morwen down her second cup in a few gulps and when the other lady rose once more Amara stopped her. "Things seem to work out for Skylanders in the end, Morwen. Have faith that we will all be together again soon."  
"Auntie and Uncle spoke of things that confused me. What have I missed?" Teranika questioned.  
"We have much to tell you," Amara sighed. Between her and Morwen the tale of Hex, the first trip to Uzern and then later Windy's unsanctioned return was told. The trio sat up to the wee hours of the morning talking and even fell asleep in the chairs of their common room.  
The archivist's hall was in effect a library. Unlike a library though it was not open to the public and only certain permits would allow admittance. Beyond that the archives were set into different sections and different permits allowed entrance into different sections. The spirit of Uzern's High Prime Priest Uriel had found admittance into the room that focused solely on family ties and lineage, mainly used for settling disputes over what rightfully belonged to a person through blood ties.  
His presence had drawn eyes, the head archivist was asleep but his second hand and two apprentices stood in the doorway and watched the ghostly priest peruse the rows and rows of family names until he found what he was looking for.  
"What do you think could be important enough for the spirit to leave Uzern?" the youngest apprentice of maybe fifteen years with sandy hair and hematite colored skin asked. "I thought the spirits were all bound to the city and could not leave it."  
"Have you not paid attention to your lessons?" the older apprentice, this one a young elven woman with blue-black hair and silver skin hissed softly. "The Prime is the only one strong enough to leave the city. He cannot stay away for long or he weakens. How long he can stay away I am not sure." Her narrow fingers gripped the door frame as the priest carried a box of scrolls to the narrow table in the center of the room. There were only two chairs at it, one one either end of the narrow part to prevent clutter in front of the shelves.

The apprentices made to move further into the room out of curiosity but a hand on the shoulder from the second archivist stopped them. "Aw, come on Kenzie, there is nothing in there we have not already seen nor been prohibited from viewing," the youngest eirian protested. "Are you not curious about what he seeks?"  
"You will give the spirit his privacy," the other elf said sourly. He had pearly skin that seemed to change colors in the light and stark white hair to complete his pale color set. "The hour is late, go to bed. Sholto will work you hard in the morning and if you are too weary to do it right the first time you will find yourselves with extra work."  
"Yes Master Kenzie," the older apprentice said with a curtsy. She turned quickly on her heel and stepped lightly towards the living quarters she had been given during her apprenticeship.  
"Away with you, Cai," Kenzie scowled and gently pushed the young apprentice down the hall. "Do you wish to upset the spirit? He may throw a curse on you should you!"  
Cai gasped and his eyes nearly fell from their sockets before he turned and dashed quickly down the hall. Kenzie shook his head and returned to the desk he had been at earlier. He preferred the light of candles to work by and the one sitting on his desk was nearly spent. As a rule Kenzie always told himself it was time for bed when the candle extinguished itself. He had already told the spirit he could let himself out when he was done so the second archivist traveled the halls to his own quarters.

Uriel had only partially been aware of his small audience. He unrolled the scroll that held the unfortunate spirit's family name and located his given name to find the names of his children. In the case of his two daughters he would find his search moved to include the families they had married into. Thus would it be for every married woman in the list, he would trace them down to the most current generation and when he had a complete list he would see that Ghost Roaster visited every individual listed. It would take him a while but the spirit had nothing but patients left and would work until sunrise if he had to.

Crevan sat down heavily on the mat he had placed in the same location as Camo and Sprint's in Uzern's palace plaza. The gremlin rubbed his eyes and more or less fell back on the mat.  
"And you weren't even running around in the mindscape," Camo said softly.  
"I admire you for your willingness to do that," the Fizzling said as he turned his head to see the Core. Camo was lying with his head atop his paws and a sleepy look in his eyes.  
"I took a nap though, so we're even, still," the forest dragon was cut off by a jaw-cracking yawn, "I think I could hibernate until summer." He nestled down into his mat and licked his lips while suppressing another yawn.  
"Why do you fight sleep so?"  
Camo closed his eyes. "I want to see my friends come back safe. I remember what it felt like to become lost and I can only image how it is for them. They've fallen farther than I did. I don't know what it will take to bring them back."

The Fizzling had nothing to say in return, he was as new to the psionic scene as Camo was. "I guess Princess Seraphina will have to bring them back."  
"You put a lot of pressure on your princess," Camo yawned again. "Much is expected of her."  
"I suppose so," Crevan murmured as he looked back to the group. "I hope she does not fail."  
"I hope no one asks more of her when she sorts out the mess with Timber. Pray that those gargoyles can set the others free or your princess may flee in exhaustion and frustration. I have grown to respect her a great deal. There are very few people I won't consider pranking and she is one of them."  
Crevan waited for more from the dragon and after a while realized he had fallen asleep. Crevan's eyes drifted once more to the extra stamina potions he had set out. He had enough for Skylanders and gargoyles ready to go. The enchantment on his bag had been depleted for the moment and without a reason to stay up Crevan decided to give into the siren song of sleep before he was wrenched out of Skylands to recover. His heavy eyes closed and before long his soft snores mingled with Camo's and the whistling Sprint did through her nose.

Wraith had just turned to walk back the other way when a commotion behind him drew his attention. The three psionics around Lunar were standing up as a fourth cut her bonds. "You have succeeded?" he asked.  
"We have," a strange fish-faced reptilian gargoyle said with the nod of his head. He was a nearly black shade of green with lighter highlights appearing on his scales along his shoulders, hips and calves. The leathery membrane of his wings stretched all the way down to his knees and forced him to wear a very strange strip of cloth that was linked to a collar on his neck and band on his tail before it stretched down his torso and wrapped under him to provide modesty.

Roghallach trot up to the scene quickly and kneeled down to help the gargoyle that had cut Lunar's bonds lift her to one of his shoulders and move her. Wraith moved quickly to take a stacked mat and laid it near Sprint before the duo stretched the Hexling out across it. "You moved quickly," the commander stated.  
The gargoyle gave him a flat look, "Says you. For us we were in that place for weeks! How long has it been?" he looked to Wraith.  
"Only a matter of hours."  
"Light," the psionic groaned as he sat down heavily, "we got lucky."

"What happened?" Wraith asked as he sat down too.  
"When we arrived it was into a city of sorts. I think it was a city," the fish-faced gargoyle wrinkled his smashed nose, "lots of buildings, shopping centers and other abominations against nature. And a bank of machines that copies of Skylanders would wait in line behind for a chance to use."  
"A hub," Wraith said. "An island meant to be an away station for Skylanders and a tourist trap for those seeking loved ones stuck in the form of a Core." The Hot Headling sounded disgusted, partly from knowing what it was the psionic had seen and partially from having used them himself on several occasions.  
"Well we were trapped on this island. Whenever we tried to take wing we found the wind too strong to fight. Just when we thought we had it beat and had flown for hours before we found land we realized we had somehow gone in circles and wound up where we started. That Skylander's mind was dead set on balloons and ships being the only means of transportation. Even the copies of dragons we saw would wait for transport."

"Was the whole of your journey one set-back after another?" Roghallach asked.  
"She has accepted her undead status; her mind was different than a normal one. Akin to a Shadow but without their pre-programmed disposition. Sometimes the doors and paths we searched for endlessly had been chasing us the whole time. On a trip to an island ringed by water and smaller islands we had to allow a leviathan to swallow us before we could move on. We must have spent days trying to figure out a way to get past the storms that blew through randomly."  
Wraith stared at the psionic, "How did you finally come to realize that being swallowed was the way out?"  
"Clearly by accident, I assure you," the psionic replied as he peered through the fingers of the hand he had laid over his eyes. "An accidental trip and surprise attack. One thing led to another and suddenly we were on another island with rows of homes and gardens out front!" The psionic stood up and waited for Wraith and Roghallach to follow him. "We bounced around like this for quite a while, to strange islands with even stranger occupants. Lunar is a mabu, we finally learned that. A thick headed and stubborn mabu who had to be defeated in combat before we could clear her of the Shadows' influence. Don't ask about the combat, please," the psionic groaned.

Without warning the fish-faced gargoyle walked off to rejoin his fellows.  
"That's two down," Wraith murmured. "Five to go, six with Timber a work in progress. And four more trapped in Timber's mind. What a fine mess this has turned out to be. I'll kill Surpin with my bare hands the first chance I get," Wraith snarled.  
"I believe you will have to fight a lot of others for the chance," Roghallach said sourly.  
The Hot Headling grunted, "Not if I get to him first." Wraith knuckled one of his eyes, "Almost time to change shifts. I thought you were going to turn in yourself?"  
Roghallach hesitated in shaking his head. "I want to wait for the others to return."  
"Rest," Wraith commanded in a deep boom. "We will wake you should anything happen. You are no use to anyone if you are stupid tired."  
Roghallach smirked and turned to head towards the stacked mats. He had given that same argument to others before, funny how things had a way of coming back.

Slam Bam's heavy footfalls thumped through the green grass of Eon's island. It was quiet and it was no wonder since it was the middle of the night when Slam Bam had arrived. Uzern had been… interesting. Haven was beautiful even if his first visit was in relation to a wrong committed by one of his allies. The yeti was tired and wanted only to return to his quarters in Eon's citadel. He would have returned to his Portal Master but didn't feel like dealing with the other Skylanders he knew would be waiting for him. Eon's island was peaceful at that time of night; the only active individuals past a certain time would be Cores. So that meant it was blissfully silent, that was all Slam Bam wanted.

"Hey, wondered when you was gonna show your ugly head again."  
And with that Slam Bam's peace and quiet was shattered. "What do you want, dirt shark?" the yeti sighed and stopped to turn around and face Terrafin.  
Terrafin raised a brow and folded his thickly muscled arms across his broad chest. "What happened? Couldn't have been more 'an maybe an hour ago and Swarm popped up and flew like a madman into the citadel yelling for Eon. All Hugo would tell us was the Grandmaster was needed back where the rest'a ya were."  
"If Hugo wouldn't tell you then I ain't gonna either," Slam Bam said as he turned back around and resumed walking.

"Fine, fine," Terrafin sighed as he trot after the yeti. "We still up for surfing tomorrow or you wanna go longboarding? I found this killer place today that would be perfect. All natural too so you can bet we'll have the whole place to ourselves! None of them snot-nosed brats around who think they know it all."  
Slam Bam smirked, "You make yourself sound old when you talk like that."  
"Yeah, yeah. We ain't teenagers anymore. Man, was I that hard to put up with when I was that old?"  
"Hard to put up with then? You're still that hard to get along with!" Slam Bam grinned.  
"Ha, ha, Frosty," Terrafin rolled his eyes. The dirt shark changed topics fast enough to make Slam Bam's head spin. "Did Hex do somethin' again?"  
"No," the yeti answered quickly. "I told you man, I'm not talking about it yet."  
Terrafin simply wouldn't give up, "Was it bad? We lose anyone? Was Eon mad?"  
"Go away Mud Puppy," Slam Bam said in irritation. He began to walk faster to further his point.  
"Hey man, you know I hate that name."  
"Stop being a pest," the yeti answered with such finality that Terrafin stopped dead in his tracks.

"_You_?" the dirt shark said in disbelief. "It was something _you_ did?"  
Slam Bam turned back around with a look of bewilderment. "You think I'd show my face if it was me that screwed up? Nuh-uh. You know what, you really wanna know? Go pester Bash and Flashwing. They came with me and should be around here somewhere. I think Sunburn is too. Maybe they're in a gossip like a girl kinda mood. I'm beat, I just wanna sleep. So let me go or no more mister nice guy." The yeti raised all four of his fists into a fight stance. It wasn't uncommon for the two friends to get into physical scuffles; it was almost a game for them. But Slam Bam's expression was dead serious.  
Terrafin squinted at the water elemental and thumbed his thick snout. "A'ight, I can take a hint. S'cool. Later bro." He gave a half-hearted wave then walked off grumbling to himself.  
"Dude don't know when to give up," Slam Bam muttered himself. He let his fists relax and watched Terrafin for a moment. Sure enough the dirt shark tried to peek back over his shoulder unnoticed. His head whipped back around to the front when he saw the yeti was still watching him. Once satisfied that he was going to be left in peace Slam Bam resumed his travel to Eon's citadel and his personal quarters.

Ghost Roaster couldn't decide if it was a good thing or not that his Portal Master's time was opposite of what he was used to in Skylands. When people in the areas the ghoul liked to haunt were going to sleep his Portal Master was just waking up. She was a school teacher of all things and had her own children who at the moment were too young to know anything about Skylanders. And as kind as she was when she had been upset she could be quite strict. Just like a teacher, Ghost Roaster kept expecting to be sent to the corner for time-out.  
"I am so sorry, Eon," the holographic image of a slightly pudgy woman with a shock of short red hair and glasses said. "Had I known…"  
"Nonsense my dear," Eon shook his head. It always looked strange since that was all he was now thanks to Kaos's meddling. "It's not your fault. I merely wanted you to hear what had happened from me rather than through that infernal rumor mill. I hope the Queen of Haven has your understanding and cooperation?"  
"Of course," the Portal Master nodded curtly to Eon. The acidic glance she gave Ghost Roaster was almost enough to crush bone.

The Ghoul put his arms over his head; he hadn't meant to bring such shame to his Portal Master. He knew now that word would travel about her not caring for her Skylanders and how she encouraged bad behavior. She might even get branded as an evil Portal Master and likewise all of her Skylanders would have tarnished reputations. "Forgive me," Ghost Roaster squeaked. "I, I understand if you wish to send me away to another Portal Master."  
"Send you away?" she asked with wide eyes, "Why would I send you away because of one little mistake?" Her holographic image glided up to the ghoul and she let her hand hover over his shoulder, "I don't give up on my students that easily. What makes you think I'm going to give up on you?"  
The Skylander managed a weak smile or at least that was his intention. Without lips he was always a gruesomely grinning ghoul. "You're too good to me, Tabitha," Ghost Roaster said. He lowered his head. "Thank you."

"You'll have to forgive me; I need to head to work. Do you want me to open a portal for you back to Haven?"  
Ghost Roaster opened his mouth to say he could just tag along with someone else but realized he would still have to leave her island first. "Yes, I will take shelter outside the city for the night." Ghost Roaster felt defeated but hopeful at least. He looked to Eon instantly, "To the Core of Light first."  
"Of course," Tabitha smiled. Just as easy as a thought the glimmering portal opened.  
"Thank you for your understanding," Eon said with what passed as a bow before his etheric form vanished.  
"I'll be back later to tell you how it went," Ghost Roaster said sheepishly.  
"As soon as you can," Tabitha said firmly. "I don't want you shirking your duties to the queen. I will be fine during your absence. Don't worry about the others, I'll handle them."  
Ghost Roaster drifted towards the portal and cast one more look over his shoulder before he glided into it.

"Thank you, Skylander," Eon said with a nod to Ghost Roaster. "I will keep in touch, preferably through Spyro but any of the Skylanders present will be possible escorts."  
Ghost Roaster looked over his left shoulder when the portal on the right closed and the new one appeared. "Thank you for not giving up on me."  
Eon gave a kind smile, "Accidents happen. Now I am not encouraging you to be sloppy. I merely understand that at times you harm your allies when events simply become too numerous to keep track of everything." Eon made a face as he went back over his words, it hadn't quite sounded right. "It may seem callous when you say it aloud but you of all people shoulder understand what I mean. This is not the first time I have had to approach someone with an apology and I suspect it will not be the last either."  
"The last for me," Ghost Roaster sighed. "I'm _never_ going to make that mistake again."

Eon watched the ghoul depart through the portal and turned back to look at the brilliant shaft of light that held the darkness at bay. "I have faith that your power holds strong. If the willingness to forgive two separate offences against Tour mean anything," he told the structure. He chuckled, "Although my chosen defenders are getting rather good at putting their feet in their mouths. I am going to have to reach out to the kingdoms of Tour personally to assure them that this is not going to be the norm." Eon closed his eyes and sighed, he felt very, very old suddenly. "Light help us should Kaos gain control over psionic abilities. Light forbid it should ever come to pass." The spirit opened his eyes and took a moment longer to bask in the glow of the Core of Light. "The battle will be on Tour's doorstep I fear."

The dungeons of Haven were nothing like Asmodeus would have expected. Kaos's dungeons were dank, filthy and reeked of all manner of unpleasant substances. While Haven's dungeon was still naked, roughhewn stone that wept in certain areas it was surprisingly accommodating and clean. Asmodeus had a bed, a real bed in his cell. A bed that his added height as a half-blooded goliath rendered nearly useless but it was still amazing. The goliath sat on the bed with his back to the wall. He had been stripped of everything he owned and was dressed in plain wool clothing now. The clothing was sized for a goliath but fit loosely on the much slimmer and toned frame the warlock possessed. Asmodeus couldn't stop fingering the collar he wore that rendered his magic and goliath gifted strength useless. It felt like a solid piece of metal, he couldn't find a hinge, catch or lock anywhere on it. What was more was it glowed constantly, a steady soft yellow glow that gave everything a cheery sort of glow in his eyes.

The drow grunted and dropped his tattooed hands into his lap where he studied his slender, dark blue fingers in disdain. He shouldn't have been caught so easily, that damned gargoyle had ruined it all in the end. Asmodeus took too much of his council and had pushed too hard, too fast and had lost it all. Someone coughed somewhere in the dungeon; he shared it with other warlocks and regular drow that had been unit leaders during the occupation of Uzern. Asmodeus thought the collars also silenced their wearers but when he had grumbled under his breath he realized that no one simply felt like talking. Which suited him fine, the warlock wasn't in the mood either. As tired as he was he fought sleep at all costs, he simply didn't want to risk learning the hard way that Haven's dungeon wasn't as laid back as it seemed. Guards drifted by occasionally, none even looked into his cell. Asmodeus told himself it was fear that kept their eyes straight ahead even if he knew that wasn't the case.

As soon as the most recent guard had passed a portal opened in Asmodeus's cell. His eyes widened and his heart raced along with his quickened breath. Perspiration beaded up on his forehead, Kaos had come calling. Like Skylanders Asmodeus had been trained in the use of travel via portal. Kaos only bothered to teach his Darksiders how to use them. The mundane parts of his forces were restricted to airships and balloon travel. Asmodeus was a high ranking individual among the Darksiders.

Minion status was the lowest tier and reserved only for those that looked strikingly like Skylanders. Above them sat the lackeys who would slip in like scouts, plant information and stir up trouble on a scale larger than the minions. Minions dealt only with Skylanders, lackeys sowed the seeds of distention and doubt in cities and countries. Then there was Asmodeus's level, familiars. He hated the name Kaos had given the rank but what could he do so long as he bent his knee to the insane little tyrant? Familiars led large scale attacks, they were the commanders and brains behind field work. Kaos didn't use them as much as he should and trusted their intelligence less than was wise. It always cost him in the end to so toss away valid plans.

It was no wonder that Asmodeus found himself seriously contemplating the viability of his handy chance of escape. On the one hand he would be spared the incessant questions he knew were coming from Haven's soldiers. On the other he would get the same treatment by Kaos. What a dilemma it was. In the end he rose to his feet and strode to the portal. Going back to bowing like a whelp before Kaos would at least grant him the chance to strike back at that awful gargoyle. Princess Seraphina, Asmodeus hadn't forgotten her. He could find a way to manipulate her and allow her the illusion of acting on her own. She would remain a secret providing that damned Surpin hadn't already sent word to Kaos.

"Got yourself into a bit of trouble, did you?"  
The voice grated on Asmodeus's nerves but he knew the part he had to play and walked in with his head high but shoulders slumped. He wanted to look shamed but not broken. As always, standing next to the hysterically small Portal Master was the lanky troll Glumshanks.  
"Just when did you plan on telling me of your discovery, hmm?" Kaos asked with a forced calm. He had his hands clasped behind his back and the long dark robe he wore rippled with the strutting maneuver of his stride.  
The Portal Master was the ugliest thing Asmodeus had ever seen. Kaos possessed a bald plate with over-sized ears that stuck out from his head, absurdly large eyes only emphasized by the black tattoos around them and uneven teeth that had grown in all ways possible to make them crooked. His wide forehead too bore a tattoo and his nose was as smashed as it was wide. His mouth was very nearly as wide as the whole of his face, there was something very frog-like about how he looked. "When I had researched it more, Lord Kaos," Asmodeus said with a subservience he didn't feel.  
"Do you know what I think?" his voice began to rise in both volume and octave. "I think you meant to take a bite out of Skylands for yourself!" Kaos clenched his hands into fists and shook. "Do you know what I do to any of my tools that think they're better than me? Glumshanks!" he snapped at the troll. "Fetch me my iron mask!"  
"Yes Master Kaos," Glumshanks said. The troll was equally ugly himself with large floppy ears and tusks that protruded from his thick fleshly lower green lip. His legs were abnormally thick and made the troll work harder at walking.

Asmodeus cringed, the mask was a simple completely enclosed device that would rest on the wearer's shoulders right against the skin with an opening at the top that Kaos could put anything he desired into. Anything from boiling oil to poisonous snakes.  
"Eh, what's this?" Kao asked as he pointed at the much taller figure's neck. "You will kneel to allow me the opportunity to view this object, now!" the dark Portal Master demanded as he pointed furiously to the ground. He nodded smugly when Asmodeus did so. "Interesting," Kaos's bulbous eyes flashed towards the one Asmodeus strained to watch him without moving his head.  
"Do you want me to assemble it now or later, Master Kaos?" Glumshanks grunted as he carried the heavy metal object in. It looked like a bucket with hinges to open along its side.  
"Later," Kaos waved absently while his eyes remained on the collar. "This item fascinates me. Did they forge it around your neck?"  
"No, it has a latch somewhere. I did not have the time needed to find it."  
"Eternity wouldn't be enough time for a simpleton like you," Kaos snorted.  
Asmodeus's blood boiled, had he his magic he would have blown up the little tyrant by now.

"Return my iron mask to the room o' torture, Glumshanks," Kaos said the moment the troll set the heavy object down. "I've changed my mind. I want to study this collar and maybe the moron will have some use after all."  
"Yes Master Kaos," Glumshanks said in a tone to match his name. He picked up the iron mask again and turned to waddle out of the room.  
"First you will tell me all you know about these psionics that will finally rid me of those stupid Skylanders." Kaos's smirk gave way to a chuckle and his chuckle gave way to a cackle that echoed down the halls of his flying fortress.


	38. Clash of Wills

**Clash of Wills**

Rider nearly slipped out of dragon Hex's claw when she pulled up suddenly and beat her wings to slow her approach to a large birdcage. Rider's mind didn't really catch the fact it was a birdcage, rather he was more intent on the other figure in the next cage that seemed to be suspended in the middle of the blackness that surrounded them.  
"You will be safe here," Hex cooed as she deposited Rider into the cage. She delicately shut the door and when she leaned against the bars she reverted to her aqua skinned and purple haired pre-undead curse self. "You'll come around eventually. So will you," she turned to Flameslinger. The green skinned elf scowled at her from his cage. "I will return," Hex promised. "And I will reward steps taken in seeing things from my point of view." She reached through the bars and gently stroked Rider's cheek before she drifted away and was swallowed by the darkness.

"Mon ami," Flameslinger said as he pressed himself up against the bars of his cage and reached out to thump the bars of Rider's. "Are you alright?"  
Rider seemed frozen as he stared dumbfounded at where Hex had been moments ago. Finally his head swiveled slowly towards the other elf. "You too?"  
Flameslinger's arms rested on a crossbar and he scowled, "Stealth, she has promised me the very same thing that Hex has for you. This is not my Stealth anymore. We are en danger, I am thinking if we give in we become like them. This I do not want."  
"Nor do I," Rider grunted as he tried to shoulder open the door.  
"It will not work," Flameslinger said as he shook his head and stepped back into the middle of his cage. "I am too tired to try much else." How long had it been? Considering they had spent most of the day combatting drow time added up quickly and Flameslinger knew Rider must be feeling the fatigue as well.  
Rider looked up to the dome that topped the cage. "Yeah well I refuse to give up yet without trying everything I can." He looked back down and propped his feet on a crossbar before he began to climb. "Tired or not I'm not staying here."

"What is it you are to be trying?" Flameslinger asked with curiosity thick in his tone.  
"Just using my imagination; I'm not too tired for that," Rider murmured as he reached the top of the cage. He stuck his tongue out as he tried to pry at the bars. After a while he gave a laugh and began to turn something in a counter-clockwise motion before the top of the cage popped open like a hatch door. "When in doubt, improvise. Never before has that statement made more sense than right now."  
Not one to be outdone Flameslinger held up a gloved hand and flicked up his index finger before a small flame bloomed at the tip. He took the bright light and ran it around the catches at the top and bottom of the door then over the lock itself before the bars swung open. "Have you considered how we are to be leaving?" Nearly before he had finished his question Rider simply levitated up and out of his birdcage. "This is it? Where is your style, your flair?" the archer scoffed. Smoothly he slid his blindfold up into the position of a bandana so Rider could see his fiery eyes. "You may know the jousting but you are sans style in all else."

As Rider watched Flameslinger stepped out of the cage and went into a free fall. The jouster gasped and chased after him to stop his descent.  
"No flair!" Flameslinger laughed before he sprouted webbed wings of fire. "And no faith that it was all in the plan." He flashed Rider a grin as he turned his momentum into a rise with a few powerful downbeats of his blazing wings.  
Rider too righted himself and ascended to the grinning archer. "Ever the showman."  
"You need to learn to make an entrance, mon ami. And give yourself some wings, the Superman look is silly."  
"Who?" Rider asked as he followed Flameslinger. No wings were fine in his book and he didn't make himself tired by flapping them.  
"Have you not watched the television on Earth?" the archer scoffed in disbelief. "Now, which way is out?" His wings made the whoosh of fire with every beat as he drifted in a holding pattern.  
"And you say I lack flair," Rider snorted. He bent his arm up and knocked on what appeared to be air yet still made a sound. A moment later and a door opened to bright sunlight and the sounds of combat. "Hurry!" he urged before the lordly elf slipped through.

"Not possible!" a familiar voice howled.  
"Not this time," Flameslinger said through grit teeth as he dodged Cynder's midair charge. He whirled fast and even though his bow and quiver had been taken from him he acted on instinct. A bow of pure fire and an arrow to match simply appeared at will. It wasn't until he had fired true and struck the monstrous dragon did he realize what he had done. "This psionic bit is easy if you are not to think about it," he told himself.  
"That was Cynder! You attacked Cynder!"  
"Non, Rider. She is not our Cynder anymore. Do not hold back, if they attack you then they are the enemy!"  
"This just keeps getting better, huh?" the jouster sighed.  
"Sink down, take cover. We talk more then," Flameslinger said as he flipped over into a dive with Rider close to his heels.

"You think it was them? Hex and Rider?" Windy whispered to Eloryn. "Something drew Cynder away."  
"It had better be and Rider needs to still be one of _us_, if any more of us turn this is going to get a lot harder," the dark haired princess replied as she strained to see where Cynder had gone.  
"There!" Spyro shouted before he cringed, voices could still give them away. "Anicetus is facing Meilyr."  
"Seraphina?" Eloryn asked as she pushed past Spyro to find her sister. She found the priestess with her eyes on the sky and her staff held like a pole arm, she was prepared to face Cynder and looked confused by her vanishing act.  
"Where is Flameslinger?" Double Trouble asked. "They're short one elf."  
"Is Stealth accounted for?" Niall questioned. He had been working with Pop Fizz to make a little portal that would allow the gremlin to toss his potions without giving away his position. The priest rubbed tired eyes and glanced around the group. He noticed others weren't standing as tall anymore and eyes had become a little heavier. They were all starting to wear out, their time was dangerously short.

"N-no," Windy stuttered. "What does that mean?" she asked as she turned back to the others with wide eyes. The hybrid danced around nervously, "She's sneaky! She could be _anywhere_!" Windy whispered hoarsely. Honestly the Whirlwindling expected Stealth to magically pop up at that moment and her eyes bounced around at anything that moved.  
"Ah, there we go. Please try it now Pop," Niall said.  
"Bombs away!" the gremlin grinned happily as he dropped a bottle into the tiny whirlwind Niall had created. Pop Fizz looked up eagerly as the potion bottle dropped down near Meilyr and Anicetus. Both looked down at it, it wasn't a potion bottle anymore but a little black ball with a burning fuse. Anicetus shoved Meilyr out of the way and leapt to the side right as it exploded into a sickly greenish yellow gas.  
"Well it works, but was that what you wanted to do?" Spyro asked with a raised brow.  
"Just a test," the gremlin waved off the dragon's doubt. "The next one is serious."

Anicetus coughed, "A stink bomb?" His incredulity was thick and the stench was lingering. He nearly gagged from it as he stood back up.  
"Charming," Meilyr groaned. "I feel insulted, Ani. You cannot even take my offer seriously?" He scowled deeply as he tapped the end of his sword against the one Anicetus had dropped in the confusion. "Pick it up and face me like a warrior!" He kicked the blade and it bounced against the grass to land at Anicetus's feet.  
"No, Meilyr."  
"Ani!" Seraphina snapped as she turned her eyes away from the sky for a moment. "He will not hesitate to run you through!"  
"She is right, you know," the dark haired elf said with a snarl as he approached Anicetus. It disgusted him to see the prince just stand there and watch the blade that came to press against his neck. "It would be so easy. A little pressure," Meilyr smirked as he laid the edge hard against Anicetus's throat. "And then I could focus on your lovely sister." The comment should have sparked something and Meilyr knew it.

All Anicetus did was raise his head and look down to watch Meilyr. "You will not do it, Meilyr. I know you are still in there."  
"You doubt my fortitude?" Meilyr's face darkened menacingly and he began to apply enough pressure for red droplets of blood to appear on the prince's neck.  
"Ani, you fool!" Seraphina hissed as she turned her attention on Meilyr. She took two steps towards the duo when the unexpected happened. A blue, frosty potion bottle fell out of the sky just above Meilyr's head. He jerked his arm back as it rolled over his shoulder and down his front. The elf looked down at the bottle then up at the sky before he tapped the bottle with his foot. Everything that followed transpired so quickly that no one was quite sure what had happened. The end result was Meilyr frosted over and stiff with a thick layer of ice over half his body.

"What did you do?" Anicetus whirled quickly on his sister.  
"Nothing," she held up her free hand to stave off his advance. "Ani, you let him wound you?" she said in disappointment. "You know better than to allow this place to wound you when the wounds manifest on your physical body. You are going to scare the watchers into pulling you out. Get rid of it, now."  
Anicetus raised an armored hand to his neck and simply wiped the blood away to reveal smooth, unmarked skin. "The others are here?"  
Seraphina nodded and raised a finger to her lips. She would say no more and the prince understood. "Leave Meilyr to me."

For just a moment a gargoyle psionic in Uzern worried about the state of the Ignitorling. A substance eerily like liquid fire beaded up on the upper part of his chest plate. Without raising the alarm the strange equine with leopard patterned skin stepped between seated Skylanders and reached out to put a thick finger in the oily material. It was hot but not scalding. He looked back to the others that were monitoring the group and one shook his head. The leopard colored gargoyle wiped his fingers on his trousers and stepped back out of the group. The Ignitorling had denied the wound validity and his physical body had rejected the wound as well. It would be safe to leave him in the mindscape after all.

Things had fallen silent following Pop Fizz's activated potion, only the soft breeze in the trees of the mindscape made any sound. "Serious indeed," Double Trouble cringed at the frozen elf before the two siblings. "He's still an ally, was that necessary?"  
"He's not attacking anymore," Pop Fizz shrugged. "Hey Niall, find Cynder and move the little swirly thing." The gremlin rubbed a palm in each eye, the fact his eyes pointed two different directions constantly only seemed to add to his fatigue. He should probably make a potion for everyone but later, they didn't have the time right then. Mentally he scolded himself for not making it sooner.  
"Maybe you should worry about the threat closer to you first," a voice said from behind the magically cloaked group.

Hex, once again in the familiar undead form everyone was used to seeing her as, struck before anyone could turn in surprise. She trapped the two dragons in a cage of thorny bones and hit Eloryn in the chest with one phantom orb while the other took Double Trouble between the eyes. Niall erected a shield over himself and Pop Fizz before the next two phantom orbs found them. "You thought you were clever enough to remain undetected?" Hex snorted. "I could sense the magic and the counter spell was easy enough to prepare."  
Rather than return banter Pop Fizz frantically threw the first potion bottle he could get his furry blue fingers on. It exploded at Hex's feet with a shower of dirt clods and the grass they held. He tossed another one at the bones that held Spyro and Windy. "We've got this, find Rider and Flameslinger!" the gremlin said while Niall lashed out with a force spell that drove Hex back into a tree.

Spyro was airborne instantly, Windy hesitated to follow. "They've got this, come on!" the purple dragon urged the unicorn and dragon hybrid.  
"Where's Stealth?" Windy asked.  
"Here!" the masked elf hissed as she landed on Windy's back and pinned her wings to her side with strong legs that wrapped under Windy. The blue-green skinned elf flipped out one of her daggers and pressed it to the blue hybrid's throat. "If you value her safety, Spyro, you'll land quietly."  
Windy flinched as Stealth pulled her head back painfully. She could see the elf's narrowed eyes from the corner of hers and felt as well as heard her steady inhale and exhale; the elf wasn't flustered in the least unlike Windy who was already panting. Had it been possible for the dragon she would have been sweating as well.  
Spyro glanced to Double Trouble and Eloryn, the tiki man was groggy and unaware of what was happening around him and Eloryn seemed lost as what to do while Niall and Pop Fizz kept Hex busy. With a sigh he landed softly. "Fine, Stealth. Let her go."  
Through the black mask Stealth wore over the lower half of her face the corners of her mouth fluttered up into a grin. "Why? I have a bargaining chip after all." She pulled back on Windy's head in a way as to make the hybrid gasp for breath and whimper softly.

Spyro's neck went down and his shoulders rose as he spread his wings and growled lowly at Stealth. "Let her go."  
"Or what?" the elf laughed, a strangely musical sound given the situation. Stealth's eyes widened and she let go of Windy suddenly before she bound off the hybrid's back and clutched at the arm that had been mysteriously pierced by an arrow. She looked around expecting Flameslinger but was surprised to see Princess Eloryn holding a bow that seemed to have been cut from the purest blue sapphire complete with string still vibrating from the shot. Stealth narrowed her eyes before she snapped the shaft on the arrow. "You wanna play rough?" she spat at the princess.  
Eloryn slowly drew another arrow out of thin air and placed it against the bow. Her heart was pounding in her chest, the others had no idea that she was a skilled archer and their shock was evident. Had Flameslinger been female Eloryn was fairly certain she would have become him instead of Flashwing, Rafer had been her archery tutor after all. "The next one will take you in the leg. If you persist then the third will seek your heart," Eloryn warned.  
"Can't shoot what you can't see!" Stealth snapped before she slammed a smoke bomb into the ground.  
Eloryn fired at the same time and she heard the distinct thump of the arrow in bark.  
"Stay on your guard," Spyro said as he ushered Windy in next to the princess. "Watch each other's backs."

With Anicetus watching the area Seraphina was free to work with Meilyr. He was very much still aware of things and she could see his eyes following her as she walked around him to access the damage. "Oh Meilyr," Seraphina sighed as she reached out to cup his frosted cheek. "I know you are stronger than this." She closed her eyes and focused on just him. Her eyes shot open a moment later and she called to her brother.  
"What," he asked with his eyes still roving the area as he approached them.  
"Block out everything else, focus only on Meilyr and tell me what you see."  
The prince gave his sister a wary look. "Then I cannot-"  
"I will watch for the others," Seraphina cut him off. "Just do it."

The prince did as his sister asked. The landscape faded to a blank white with only Meilyr before him. Anicetus's held his breath for a moment when he saw what Seraphina had wanted him to see. Meilyr was covered in vines; they wrapped around him and even seemed to sprout out from his skin. They were thin like spaghetti with trailing roots as fine as hair that sought out purchase in his flesh.  
_Use your Ignitorling abilities_, Seraphina's voice crept into his awareness. Anicetus barely saw her ghostly outline for a moment as she spoke to him. He understood her message and went right to work.  
"Forgive me, Meilyr," he said softly before he encased his friend in a ball of fire. The ice shattered instantly and Meilyr cried out in fear as he threw his arms up to shield his eyes. The tiny vines burned easily and the dark haired elf began to swat at them after a while even before they had caught on fire. The prince couldn't let the flames die, those vines were what linked him to Timber and all of them had to be obliterated.

Seraphina turned quickly and her staff rang out against the sudden strike of Stealth's blades.  
The attacking elf narrowed her eyes and tried to muscle her way past the defensive staff. "You are a princess; do you think your arms hold more strength than mine that have trained to withstand the stress of hand to hand combat?"  
"I am a priestess as much as a princess," Seraphina replied. She tilted her staff just barely and Stealth's blades slid down it. "And I am not alone."  
Stealth howled in agony when an arrow took her in the back of the thigh like she had been promised earlier. When she jerked at the shock Seraphina smoothly pulled her staff away and brought it quickly up under Stealth's chin to cause her to stagger. Windy moved in lightning quick and dropped tempest clouds on the prone ninja to hold her in place before Spyro finished it with a prison of ice that kept Stealth's hands and feet firmly against the grass.

"What is he doing?" Windy squeaked as she looked past Seraphina to Meilyr and Anicetus. The former was still howling in terror on the other side of a raging wall of fire and Anicetus looked to be concentrating very hard.  
"Setting him free," Seraphina murmured as she kneeled down by Stealth. She followed the same procedure as before to see what afflicted Stealth then looked to Spyro. "You are going to help me with Stealth. Focus only on her, ignore everything else and you will understand." Seraphina rose to her feet. "Elo, you and Windy need to watch for the others. Pray that Niall and Pop can take care of Hex. Where is Trouble?"  
"He went to help with Hex," Spyro replied. "How did you know about Hex?"  
"I am getting impatient and scanning thoughts," Seraphina said as she turned her eyes skyward again.  
Spyro blinked at her then looked to Anicetus once more before he turned his attention back to the furious glare Stealth was giving him. It pained the purple dragon deeply to see such malice and hate in her eyes. "How is fire going to help?"

The priestess looked to her brother and Meilyr then turned back to Spyro. She was annoyed that the dragon hadn't tried what she asked but she couldn't blame him; she hadn't shown him how to focus. Anicetus knew what he was doing, once Meilyr was free the fire would cease. "Let me show you what you need to know," Seraphina said as she walked back up to the dragon. "As you trusted me to get you here I need you to trust me once more." She placed her hand on Spyro's head and instantly everything changed for the dragon.

"Where are we?" Spyro gasped. There was nothing but whiteness around him, Stealth and Seraphina.  
"Right where we started. All I did was push the awareness of all else out of your mind. Windy and Eloryn can hear everything you or I say but we cannot hear them in return. Now, push away my presence and when you can only see Stealth you will understand. I will be right here to guide you if you need it but I think from there you can go it alone."

It was easier than he thought to push away Seraphina's presence. She wasn't breathing hard and had taken her hand off his head by then so there was nothing to creep into his senses besides smell. The dragon wrinkled his nose, why was his sense of smell even working? Nothing was physical in the mindscape. No sooner had he come to that realization did the scent of Seraphina's lavender soap fade away.  
It became strikingly clear suddenly what Anicetus was doing to Meilyr. When Spyro looked at Stealth he saw a tangle of vines wound so tightly around her that they looked to be a part of her. As he watched they grew and spread to cover more of his fellow Skylander. Spyro didn't need to be told that if Stealth became completely covered by the vines she would be lost forever. Fire would burn them, but ice would kill them off just as easily. Spyro felt safer with ice and decided he would rely upon it instead. He lowered his head to Stealth's hand. She had balled it into a fist and struggled to free herself from the ice Spyro had used to bind her. "Forgive me," he said softly before he blew a stream of subzero air onto the elf's skin.

"It burns!" Stealth screamed. Her body convulsed as Spyro crept up her arm with his frost breath.  
"What is he doing to her!?" Windy cried out. She tried to step towards the duo but Eloryn stopped her.  
"He is freeing her; he sees something we do not. Accept it, Spyro will not harm her."  
Windy shuddered, between Meilyr's yells of horror and Stealth's gut wrenching screams the hybrid wasn't sure she would last much longer. Well she had to admit that it did at least seem to drive her exhaustion away.  
Seraphina brought her staff up right and tapped the butt against the grass, "Go to the others and help them with Hex. When they have subdued Hex call to me. I will watch Spyro and Anicetus to ensure Stealth and Meilyr will be alright."  
Eloryn hesitated a moment and looked at her sapphire bow with a frown. "We are running out of time. I am tired; I have seen it in the eyes of the others. Even in you."  
"I know," Seraphina said as she bowed her head. "That is why I have asked Anicetus and Spyro to do what they are. Go now, we still have to find Cynder along with Flameslinger and Rider."

Cynder found her flight was lumbering compared to the two elves giving her the run around. Flameslinger had a much tighter turn radius and could bank on his turns much easier than the full sized dragon. Rider's lack of wings gave him the best maneuverability of them all; he could turn on a dime and frustrated Cynder so much.  
"I will enjoy the taste of your flesh!" the undead monstrosity roared.  
"You will be needing to catch us first!" Flameslinger said as he darted by just behind her head. He made the motion of firing an arrow and his bow of flame with matching arrow was visible only as long as it took to shoot the dragon in the shoulder of her right wing.  
The dark dragon cried out in pain as sustaining flight became a labor. Every down beat sent throbbing pain racing through her muscles. At least the arrow had vanished after it struck her but still it had burned her tissue deep under her scales.

Rider had followed Flameslinger's lead, if the other elf could summon a weapon then so could he. While Rider was used to his halberd he wasn't quite sure how well he could fly with it, rather he took an idea from the gargoyle warriors he had seen in Uzern and wore gauntlets with a blade along the outside of his forearm as well as shin guards with a similar design. All he had to do was dart in close to Cynder and he could shred her wing membranes, the whole idea had been to bring her down and make her more manageable.  
"She is the stubborn one, no?" Flameslinger growled as he made another pass and fired at the underside of Cynder's left wing. He had to barrel roll out of the way when her fanged maw snapped at him and nearly found its mark.  
"I take the right wing and you take the left. Together and we'll bring her down for sure this time." In the back of Rider's mind he was screaming at himself over how wrong the whole thing was. Cynder was their friend and even in training sessions they had never been so hard on one another.

"Enough!" Cynder roared as she turned around and opened her jaws wide for a blast of wind. Flameslinger's wings caught the full force and the elf was jettisoned backwards quickly while Rider was left to tumble around helplessly for a while before he turned to flee on his own. Cynder clenched her teeth as she went after the two alternating between using her breath and not. All she had to do was keep them from moving out of range and she would eventually overtake them. Her lips curled back in a snarl as she forced herself to go on, the searing pain was making her forelegs twitch with each pump of her wings and the pain was starting to make her dizzy. She just had to hold on long enough to reach at least one of them. To hell with what Stealth and Hex wanted, they weren't around and Cynder wasn't about to let herself be beaten by such insignificant maggots.

"Fight fire with fire!" Rider yelled to Flameslinger when the two found a long enough reprieve to right themselves.  
"I _am_ using the fire!" Flameslinger snapped.  
"That is not what I meant," Rider said sourly. "Hex found it easy to do after all. Why can't we?"  
"I am happy being an elf, thank you," the archer grumbled as he watched Rider's form shift and grow into a mint green dragon with rich brown spikes running along his back matched by the webbing between his wings and thick armored scales on his throat and underbelly. Rider's head bore large twisted horns colored like bone that resembled the curl of a ram's that had been unsuccessfully straightened. His spade-tipped tail also looked like naked bone. His rounded snout had two small spikes near the blunt end of his nose and his lips spread into a draconic grin replete with thick razor fangs.

Cynder's eyes widened, the dragon before her was larger and stronger than her with virtually no wounds on his shimmering hide. She screeched and wheeled up before she let loose the dark purple bolts of lightning she had been saving for the right occasion. Much to her horror Rider managed to shrug them off as if they were nothing; the bolts licked his scales and simply dissipated without marring him in any way.  
In response Rider opened his fang riddled maw for a terrible roar punctuated with a glowing orb of blue-green energy. It slammed into Cynder's chest and sent a shudder through her before her wings went slack and she plummeted to the ground.

"Je ne crois pas qu'il," Flameslinger gasped. He watched Cynder fall and Rider dived down to hook his talons under her front legs in an effort to slow her descent. Flameslinger folded his wings and followed the two dragons. The moment Cynder was safely on the ground in a large clearing Rider reverted to the pale green skinned country lord form that had been standard for him in the mindscape. Flameslinger touched down lightly a moment later and when he folded his flaming wings they simply vanished. "Now what?" the dark green skinned elf asked the pastel green one.

Rider didn't seem to hear the question; rather his attention was on the utterly bizarre scene on the other side of the clearing. Anicetus held someone in a wall of fire while Spyro worked with ice over Stealth's body and Seraphina watched with her back to him and Flameslinger. Rider shook his head and looked back to Cynder when she heaved a great sigh. "Restrain her."  
Flameslinger raised an eyebrow, his blindfold was still pushed up on his forehead and it arched slightly with the facial expression. "And how are we to be doing this? Do you have the rope? I do not."  
"How quickly you forget what is available to us here," Rider snorted. He stepped aside as the ground shook and smirked as Flameslinger drew his fire bow and readied an arrow. A moment later and two large skeletal hands burst up from the earth and clamped down over Cynder to hold her in place.  
"You have been around Hex for too long," Flameslinger snorted. He dropped his hands to his sides and the bow and arrow simply vanished.

"I am undead; these things come naturally to me just as you find fire easy for you. It is ingrained into the very fiber of our beings. I have never before embraced it the way I have here. I only hope it does not make me lose the bits of life I still cling to."  
Flameslinger approached the other elf and dropped his hand onto Rider's shoulder with a grin. "You show more life than a lot of the living I've seen, mon ami. You are not the cold person other undead are. I will not let you grow cold either."  
Rider gave Flameslinger a smile; in the back of his mind the undead elf was deeply remorseful. He knew that if his curse was never lifted he would watch all of his friends age and die while he never changed a bit. That had been what changed Hex so much, she was one of the oldest among the undead Skylanders. Rider was still very young in that respect; he had only been undead for around eight years after all. Or was it nine? No it was more like ten, wasn't it? The fact Rider couldn't quite remember sent a pang of grief through him. His thoughts were rattled when Flameslinger unexpectedly punched him in the gut.  
"You are moping," Flameslinger said as he waved an admonishing finger, "Forget what you see as a handicap. I am curieux as to what it happening over there." He tilted his head towards the others.

The massively intricate skull rain Hex had summoned was more like a rotating cylinder of skulls that shielded her from nearly all attacks. She was surrounded by opponents, Pop Fizz's potion bottles kept exploding against her rotating wall and little chips of bone flew out from each explosion. A stray arrow from the princess had managed to slide through a tiny opening and Hex was furiously trying to get it out of her thigh. The arrow head was deep into her leg and the magic that had replaced her blood was flowing freely. If she didn't stop the bleeding soon she would surely fall in battle. The wound weakened her so; she was already tired from the earlier events in Uzern. Electricity crackled just outside Hex's protective wall and she chose to raise a bone wall just before she released the multitude of skulls she had summoned.

Windy squealed as skulls pummeled her wings, haunches and tail. She held her eyes closed tightly and flopped down on her belly, tucked her neck in close to her shoulders and put her paws over her head to protect herself from the barrage.  
Niall and Double Trouble had erected barriers that took the impacts of the skulls for them. Eloryn was huddled next to the eirian priest and took aim carefully at Hex while she was distracted with the arrow in her thigh. The bone wall wasn't as tight in defense as her multitude of skulls had been and Eloryn easily put an arrow through Hex's shoulder. Tired or not her accuracy was still deadly.  
"Hold your fire!" Niall snapped, "You are not trying to vanquish her!"

"Can you hold her, Pop?" Double Trouble asked. The gremlin hadn't made it under one of the protective shields much like Windy and he was rubbing his throbbing head. Double Trouble himself was still seeing double, it had taken a while to recover from the phantom orb he got between the eyes.  
"You mean like a bear hug? Oh yeah! But she looks like a pincushion right now. No one wants to cuddle a porcupine, nope!" Pop Fizz shook his shaggy head.  
Double Trouble rolled his eyes. "Just subdue her and let us worry about her wounds." The tiki man motioned between himself and Niall with his staff as he let the shield fall once the skulls had stopped raining down on them.

Pop Fizz grinned wickedly as he pulled a potion out of his bag and popped the cork. He dumped the whole of the bottle into his mouth and quite a bit sloshed out to dribble down his chin and cheeks. He wiped his mouth with one furry blue paw as the potion took over and his fur darkened as he grew in size. The gremlin roared and bound across the ground on all fours like an ape before he burst through Hex's bone wall as if it were brittle as rotten wood.  
The sorceress looked up in surprise and threw her hands up to protect herself just as the furry blue body slammed her into the ground and held both of her hands over her head with one of his while the other engulfed her face in thick, warm fur.  
"Guess who," the gremlin said brightly in his rough voice.

Niall broke into a run instantly once Hex was down. He helped Windy up first and as soon as he was sure the hybrid was alright he dropped to his knees at Hex's side. He ignored the toothy grin Pop Fizz gave him, the gremlin was obviously proud about his catch. "Eloryn," he turned to the princess, "help me remove the arrows."  
She rolled her eyes in disgust but knelt down to help regardless. "What are you going to do with her?"  
"Restrain her for your sister. Windy, are you well enough to find the other princess?" Niall asked without looking up from the arrow in Hex's shoulder. The sorceress was trying to thrash under Pop Fizz's weight but wasn't having much luck. Nor was she able to produce much more than muffled protests.  
"I'm dizzy," Windy mewed as she lay back down. "Maybe in a bit."  
"I will help with the arrows, Niall. Let Eloryn fetch her sister."  
Almost before the tiki man had finished speaking Eloryn was on her feet and moving away from the subdued Hex.

Anicetus released his hold on fire and the flames died nearly instantly. Meilyr's knees folded and he began to fall. Seraphina was already behind him and caught the elf before he hit the ground. She cradled him gently in her arms as she sat in the grass with Meilyr heavy against her chest. He was unburned; the fire had never touched his skin. She ran her hand over his forehead as she tested him for influence. "He is clean," Seraphina sighed before she rested her chin on the top of Meilyr's head. "You did it, Ani."  
The prince gave her a twitchy grin before he sat down hard in the grass. "I am so very tired."  
"Go back," Seraphina said softly. "Not long ago they gave us stamina potions. If you have worked yours off already it is dangerous for you to stay here. We have yet to find Timber himself."  
"But you," he sighed as he rubbed his eyes.  
"I will be fine," she said softly. The princess kissed the top of Meilyr's head and the elf vanished. "Meilyr will be worried about us anyway, Ani. Go back in case he wakes up."  
"I think I will, be safe," the prince said as he made eye contact with his sister. She smiled warmly as she opened the way back for him.

The first thing Anicetus heard when he returned to Uzern was Meilyr protesting. The prince turned his head to the side and for a moment it was strange to hear Meilyr's voice coming out of Pop Fizz's mouth. The prince sighed deeply as he looked at the armored hands that belonged to Ignitor. They were back alright and once again copies of Cores. Slowly the prince rose to his feet, the orange glow he cast shifted over the various faces that sat in a circle around Timber with hands linked and eyes closed.  
"I have to go back!" Meilyr cried as two gargoyles lift him up and away from the group. "The others still need help, I may be free but they are not!" His furry blue feet worked futilely in the air as he thrashed.  
"You can't, not now!" one of the gargoyles grunted. He looked to his companion; the gremlin sure did have a lot of fight in him for someone that had been in the mindscape for hours.  
"Let me go!" Meilyr demanded. His foot landed square in the chest of the Ignitorling that had approached him. The figure grunted as he landed hard on his backside.  
"Well hello to you too, Mei," Anicetus grumbled as he got to his feet and dusted his hands.  
"Ani!" the Fizzling gasped. He went slack in the restraining arms of the gargoyles instantly. They hesitated a moment before they set him down and Meilyr attacked his best friend with a fierce hug in spite of the heat the Ignitorling produced. "I am so, so sorry that I attacked you. I just felt like you were a threat suddenly and would harm me if I did not fight back. It was so strange, my mind was so cloudy and memories I thought long buried were brought to the surface."

Anicetus pulled back and kept Meilyr at arm's length. "We lost you for a while just like we lost everyone that fell in the sand. What was it like?"  
"We became one, with him," Meilyr pointed to Timber. "I… saw memories from everyone else that merged. I saw Timber's memories. He is a nature spirit, Ani. That is why nothing attacked us other than the elements. And Hex she is," he was silenced when the Ignitorling clamped a hand over his mouth.  
"You speak of _nothing_ that you learned in there. Understand? Seraphina will tell you the same as will they," Anicetus extended a hand towards the gargoyles. "If you do not want the others spreading your secrets then you will do the same for them."  
Under his fur Meilyr flushed red and his ears dropped down, "Yeah. That would be better."  
The Ignitorling's flames turned a bright yellow, his version of a smile. "Light is it good to have you back." The punched his friend lightly in the shoulder.  
Meilyr ran his hands over his furry face and sighed, "Yeah. I just wish we were _back_," he said as he looked to his blue clawed hands.  
"One day, Mei. One day. Now go get some rest, if your eye lids droop anymore they will be closed."

Meilyr walked by the silently looming figure of Ginny-Li, he gave her what he hoped was a friendly smile and she returned it. The giant was glad to see him well but still worried about the others. "A word," she said softly when Anicetus strode by next.  
The Ignitorling stopped with a foot extended before him in mid-step then he turned on his heel. He just had seen Crevan, Roghallach and other familiar faces asleep on woven mats and that had been where he and Meilyr were heading. "Is something amiss?"  
Ginny-Li shook her head and motioned for Anicetus to follow her to an area they could sit. "You have missed much and I merely wanted to inform you of events. The rest of the Cores, gargoyles and army have departed. What you see here is pretty much all that remains in the city."  
Anicetus may have been a spirit but it was still possible for him to yawn, out of politeness he covered it then nodded to the giant. "Very well, I will wait to retire until after you have filled me in." With a heavy heart after hearing about Ghost Roaster Anicetus too went to rest. He took one last look at those still embroiled with Timber and sighed, things kept spiraling further and further out of control it seemed.  
Timber will finally show himself next chapter, I promise. I just had to set him up as I wanted him to be much different than the encounter with Sprint.


	39. Bound Too Long

**Bound Too Long**

Spyro didn't want to simply leave everything to his elemental breath. After he had frozen the vines and roots that covered Stealth he plucked them off her. Anything left behind seemed to shrivel up and die all on its own. Stealth's pained cries became whimpers as the dragon worked. It wrenched his heart to hear his friend in such a state because of him. He moved his claws with a delicacy most wouldn't attribute to a dragon but Spyro wanted to free his friend without harming her. Her skin was very cold to the touch and he regretted having done it to begin with but it was working.  
The whole time Stealth's eyes followed Spyro, the solid white state of them didn't let Spyro see it happening but he knew that she watched him. "Almost, Stealth. Just a little more."

Seraphina walked up slowly behind Spyro and simply watched him work. It made her heart swell with pride to see him adapt so quickly to what she had taught him and his dedication to it. A few of the others had taken well to the psionic scene; she rather enjoyed working with them. There were still so many other minds to free; Seraphina's heart sank with the thought. There was no way she would be able to free everyone that night. She might spend all of the next day freeing them and well into the following night.  
"Kaelin," Seraphina said softly as she rested her head against her staff. He was supposed to arrive the next evening and she might be too busy to meet him. She couldn't leave this task undone but her heart ached so much to see her betrothed again. "It has been too long," she sighed. "And it seems I may have to wait even longer now."

"Sera! Sera!" Eloryn cried as she burst into the clearing. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw only Spyro and Stealth with her sister. "Where are Ani and Mei?"  
Seraphina turned slowly and blinked furiously at the moisture in her eyes that had nearly become tears. "I sent them back after Meilyr was freed."  
"They are ok?" Eloryn asked as she slowly approached her sister. She sighed in relief at the nod Seraphina gave her. "How are they?" she asked with an inclination of her head towards Spyro and Stealth.  
"Nearly ready for me to ensure Stealth is once again her own person."  
"We have Hex." Eloryn's head jerked to the side when Seraphina's did the same at a shout. "And they have Cynder," Eloryn said in awe when Flameslinger and Rider called out to them.

"Can the others hold Hex? I am going to enlist the help of Flameslinger for Cynder."  
"I think so, I mean Pop was just sitting on her when I left but Niall and Double Trouble can restrain her with magic."  
"Could you walk Niall through ridding Hex of Timber's influence if I stayed here with these two?"  
Eloryn stared blankly at her sister. "What, what would Niall have to do?"  
"Tell him to meditate on Hex and what ails her. He can take it from there. Double Trouble can restrain her well enough."  
"You are sure?" the doubt in Eloryn's voice was complimented by her expression. "Niall is not even psionic."  
"Spyro is not either but he caught on quickly. Niall can do this; he has worked with me before in the case of demonic possessions. This is very similar to our work as priests. And I trust him, Elo. Have Niall start and hopefully if he needs my help I will have sent Cynder and Stealth back to Uzern."

"Where is Seraphina?" Niall asked when Eloryn returned alone.  
"She is busy with Stealth and now Cynder," the younger princess replied with her eyes downcast. "She said you can do this. Just meditate."  
Niall inhaled deeply and nodded. "Trouble, restraining Hex is going to fall to you. Pop, you may move now."  
"Aw, but she's actually quite comfortable!"  
"Yes well it looks as if you are assaulting the poor woman," Niall said with the roll of his eyes. "She will appreciate not seeing that the moment she is returned to her normal state of mind."

As Pop Fizz moved first the hand that held Hex's arms above her head he noticed the green eldritch energy that bound them to the earth. When the hand over her face was moved as soon as he could tear his eyes from the terrible glare she gave him the gremlin noticed the band around her neck that would keep her head down as well. When he stood and stepped to the side yet another band was seen around her waist and a final one around her ankles. The gremlin reverted to his normal size and sat down heavily next to Niall to watch the priest as he prepared for meditation.

Eloryn stayed back and instead sat with Windy. "Are you alright?" she asked the hybrid.  
"My head is spinning," Windy groaned. "I got hit really hard by one'a the skulls."  
"You can go back to Uzern and seek a healer there," Eloryn prompted.  
"Not yet," the hybrid said stubbornly. "I missed out on helping Sprint; I ain't givin' up on Timber."  
"Seraphina is not going to either," Eloryn said in offence.  
"Sorry, didn't mean it to sound that way," Windy murmured as she rest her chin on her paws.  
The princess's posture stiffened for a moment before she allowed herself to relax. "I am sure Timber will appreciate the effort you have made so far. You really should rest."  
"Later," Windy said with enough finality for Eloryn to drop the conversation.

"He is going to freeze her to death!" Flameslinger exclaimed as he tried to push past Seraphina to get at Spyro.  
"No! He is not! I need you to settle down, you are going to help me with Cynder!" Seraphina had wrapped her arms around one of Flameslinger's and kept trying to haul him backwards. "Rider, a little assistance?" she called to him in exasperation.  
The other elf took Flameslinger's second arm and with the joint effort they managed to finally subdue him. "What is going on anyway, what is Spyro doing?"  
"I will show you, both of you. Come with me," the princess said as she turned to stride towards the unconscious dragon.

It took a bit of time to get the both of them to follow her command but eventually Seraphina had Flameslinger and Rider standing in the whiteness of nothing with only each other and Cynder covered in writhing vines and roots. Cynder's were thicker and more numerous, she was dangerously close to forever being a part of Timber.  
"That is what Spyro is trying to remove. That is what controls them, the parasites that are trying to devour them," Seraphina pointed. "I need you to cleanse them with fire. Rider, would you help him pull them from Cynder as they come loose?"  
"I uh, yeah. Of course," Rider nodded.  
"Sacré bleu," Flameslinger gasped. "That is révoltante!" he looked to Seraphina as if to ask why she herself wasn't doing it.  
The priestess knew exactly what he was thinking, "Because Timber has yet to show himself. He is _mine_," she said firmly. "I cannot let anyone else finish him and if I wear myself out then it becomes harder."

Content with Flameslinger and Rider's combined efforts Seraphina returned to find Stealth sitting up next to Spyro talking softly.  
"She's here, let her look at you Stealth," Spyro told the elf.  
Stealth nodded in a disjointed manner and looked up to Seraphina. "I'm so sorry, Seraphina. When the sand came down on us I thought it was all over. I just gave up and then he took over. I need to apologize to Flameslinger. Light I was such a fool," she cringed and wrapped her arms tightly around herself.  
The priestess knelt down next to Stealth and placed her hand against the other elf's forehead. "He is busy; your apology will most likely have to wait until we are out of here." Seraphina shifted and turned her kneel into a seated position on the grass.  
Stealth fell silent as Seraphina scanned her. She sighed happily when she caught the eirian nod to Spyro. "Thank you," Stealth turned to Spyro.  
The dragon smiled, "You would have done the same for me."

"I will give you a choice, Stealth," Seraphina began as she leaned back on her hands, "I can help you get back to Uzern or you can remain here with us through the confrontation with Timber. I will still need help even if I will be the one to finish him."  
"I'm staying," the elf said quickly. "He can't expect to do what he did and get away with it," she growled.  
Seraphina rose to her feet and dusted off her priestess robes then hands. "Very well. You can either join me now with Rider and Flameslinger over by Cynder or somewhere in the forest you will find the team working on Hex."  
"Um, I'm staying with you. Not gonna get lost in the forest," Spyro replied. Stealth nodded in agreement, she meant to speak to Flameslinger as soon as possible.

"You've got the fire too hot!" Rider exclaimed as he jerked his hand back after touching a still smoldering clump of blackened vines.  
"Non, she is un _dragon_. Cynder will be fine!" Flameslinger said with a wave. He rather liked his temporary ability to set himself ablaze and simply touch the parasitic growth that covered the dragon to be rid of it.  
"Dragons can still _burn_," Rider growled. "Their scales only provide so much protection. Ease up; you want to stop the vines from growing so I can pull them. Not charbroil Cynder!"  
"She already looks charbroiled," the green skinned elf grinned.  
"Your attitude might be what drives Stealth away, you know."  
"You will leave ma chère out of this!" the fire elemental said hotly.

Stealth's back stiffened as she listened to the banter. "Can they not see us? Did they not hear Spyro call to them?"  
"No, they are concentrating on Cynder enough to block all else out. Except each other apparently," Seraphina muttered.  
Stealth shook her head. "They fight like siblings, you should hear them. When we get out of here I bet one day you'll get a chance to."  
"If he burns Cynder..." Spyro let the comment hang unfinished.

Suddenly the dark dragon stirred. The hands that held her were positioned over her shoulders and hips, her tail and neck were left free.  
"Restrain her!" Stealth gasped. She looked around as she tried to find something that would work.  
"Fire from Flameslinger will destroy anything we try, unless," Spyro narrowed his eyes. He knew it was Rider that summoned the skeletal hands so why couldn't he do something similar? Spyro smiled at himself in a pleased manner when a hand of stone held Cynder's head down just behind her crown of horns and another two took her long tail.  
"Traitors!" Cynder howled. Her claws scrabbled at the earth and dug deep furrows into it. "I gave you the chance to become something great and this is how you repay me?" Sometimes Cynder sounded like herself and other times, like that moment, she sounded like someone else. "Insignificant whelps!" the dragon snarled in her strangely altered voice. She struggled against her bonds for a moment then chuckled darkly. "You think you've won? Think again!" Cynder reverted to her smaller form without warning. Rider fell from where he had been on her back with a yelp and Flameslinger nearly singed him instead.

Cynder didn't give anyone a chance to recover. She bound out from under one of the skeletal hands and increased her size rapidly once again. She went well beyond her adult form and towered over the Skylanders enormously now. Cynder's horns thickened and became ribbed rather than smooth; she sprouted spikes on her snout, under her chin and along her lower jaw. She was a menacing creature with more bulk to her overall but she still possessed a long arching neck and whip-like tail. Her sinuous neck snapped out and with a single bite devoured Seraphina whole before the priestess could react. "All hope is lost," Cynder hissed with a crooked grin. Her now blood red and black wings snapped out and she took to the sky with a bellow that shook the trees and earth.

"No," Stealth gasped as she sank to her knees. She saw Seraphina as the only thing that kept them safe. Without her things would fall apart and if Timber claimed them again there would be no return.  
"Get up," Rider barked as he finally pulled himself up off the ground. "We aren't beat yet."  
Stealth still didn't move, not until Flameslinger was by her side and helped her to her feet. "We are together again, we are stronger like this. You know it is true."  
Spyro reared up on his hind legs and let out a roar of rage mingled with sorrow. He had lost Cynder once; he wasn't going to lose her again. "She's mine!" he growled menacingly. The purple dragon beat his wings and launched himself into the sky.

The landscape began to wither and die as Eloryn watched in horror. Trees lost their leaves and turned into twisted parodies of themselves as green first yellowed then browned and finally crumbled away into ash. The very ground itself changed to a bleached bone color complete with crags and fissures as the only thing to break up the otherwise flat and featureless ground. The sky turned grey with a tinge of purple that drifted through it like vapors.  
"What is happening?" Windy yelled as she huddled in closer to the eirian.  
"Something is wrong," Double Trouble answered. He tilted his head to the side and Pop Fizz moved back in to hold Hex down so the tiki man could move away from her. She had grown still as Niall worked, whatever he was doing had at least subdued the undead Skylander.  
"No," Eloryn shook her head. "Seraphina was maintaining the landscape. Timber could not have overturned her will so easily!"

A roar that brought tremendous pain to the ears of everyone screamed overhead as a massive shadow passed the group.  
"Cynder!" Pop Fizz yelped in surprise. The gremlin had his hands tight against the ears he had folded to his head. His mouth hung open as he watched the dragon turn back around. Was it Cynder? She looked different now and barely recognizable. The group of Skylanders was sitting ducks without the protective covering of trees and the wind that came from the enormous dragon's wings buffeted the group hard.  
"Get down!" Double Trouble yelled. He put up a shield just before black fire washed over the group. The tiki man ground his teeth as he struggled to maintain it; Niall was deep in his efforts with Hex and was completely oblivious. "Pop, do something!" Double Trouble yelled to the gremlin once the barrage stopped.  
Pop Fizz turned eyes wide with panic and fear on him and shook his head. "She's too big! Have you even been paying attention to the _thing_ that just attacked us? You need a whole armada of battle ships to take her on!"

Windy cowered under her wings, her whole frame shook. Each time Cynder roared the very air she breathed seemed to assault her and the ground trembled with the enormous dragon's might. The hybrid heard the twang of a bow, how could Eloryn even think her tiny little arrow would be effective against the behemoth that ravaged them? She peeked out between feathers when Eloryn began to scream gibberish at Cynder and fired arrow after arrow in rapid succession. Most fell short of their mark and those that did land looked like nothing more than splinters in the dragon's thick armored hide. "Look!" Windy screamed when a figure that looked like a fly next to the looming beast that only partially resembled Cynder darted by.  
"Spyro!" Double Trouble bellowed at the top of his lungs. Was the dragon mad? He was in his true size and clearly no match for the hulking brute that seemed too big for the sky to hold. "Get to Niall, stay close to him!" Double Trouble commanded as he floated nearer himself. "Light protect us," he murmured. Without trees in the way he could see the other group now that he looked for them. Spyro was chasing Cynder, Rider and Flameslinger were running alongside Stealth. Where were Anicetus, Meilyr and Seraphina? Eloryn was shaking badly and looked ready to burst into tears. The tiki man reached out to try and comfort the princess but she slapped his hand away and scooted closer to Niall, her only remaining link to home.

The backlash from Cynder's wings made flight a fight for survival for Spyro. He knew what he was doing however and refused to take a larger size. If he could pass as an insignificant speck until he was ready he might stand a better chance at accomplishing his goal. The death of the beautiful landscape the priestess had worked to create stung him deeply, if Timber absorbed _her_ then none of them were going to make it out. Spyro caught an updraft and allowed it to rocket him higher into the sky. Above the beating wings of the nightmarish dragon the skies were easier to navigate. Spyro felt a growing sense of dread in the pit of his stomach, a creeping fear that he had to constantly stamp out. Thoughts that seemed random to the dragon kept coming to mind, it was strange and he fought hard against them. Even if he didn't understand just what he was doing the dragon wasn't about to stop and question the thoughts, he wanted them gone as they were so very foreign to him.

Cynder banked to the right and Spyro adjusted his course again. She unleashed another blast of black fire on the group with Hex before she angled herself towards the group Spyro had just left. The elves there were completely vulnerable and Spyro's heart was in his throat. It was now or never, the purple dragon howled as he spiraled down like a missile towards Cynder.

"Run the other way, the other way!" Flameslinger nearly screamed as he turned around and urged both Rider and Stealth to do the same. His eyes were wide in panic, a sight hardly ever seen when his blindfold was worn.  
Stealth zipped to the side erratically suddenly and each time she changed direction a scarecrow duplicate of her stood in place. She wasn't sure what made her do it, the dragon as so large that her breath attack could take them all out at once. "I'm not going back!" she howled as she resorted to smoke bombs, again useless with the sheer size of the dragon but she felt she had to try _something_.  
Cynder's roar made Rider stumble and dropped him a few paces behind the others. He pumped his arms and legs to catch up with them, he couldn't remember the last time he had run for his life like he was currently. Actually, he had never done it before. He never wanted to do it again either. "Dive to the side, dive to the side!" he bellowed as Cynder's shadow fell over them and he heard the roar of fire behind.

Cynder's head jerked up and the black fire narrowly missed Rider when Spyro rammed her hard between the shoulder blades. That tiny, pesky little runt had packed a punch. "I'll devour you just as easily as your little Lightworker!" she snarled as she turned her head to snap at the purple speck that was quickly rising. Spyro darted to the side and Cynder's body contorted as she worked herself around to follow him, her jaws snapped repeatedly as she stretched her neck out in various ways in an attempt to catch the smaller dragon in her jaws.  
Even over the wind Spyro could still hear the sound of his blood racing through his ears. Some of Cynder's snaps were so close he had felt her hot breath on him and temporarily lost control of his flight. The resulting jerky movements nearly allowed Cynder to get him with her follow up attempts. The purple dragon closed his eyes and forced himself to go on; he just needed to draw Cynder away from the others before he met her challenge head on.

"Fly, fly little dragon!" Cynder cackled as she propelled herself up higher. If Spyro got caught in the currents surrounding her then he would spiral out of control and she could snare him easily. To further her efforts she blew out a tremendous gale force wind that sent the much smaller dragon careening off course. Her lips split into a malicious toothy grin as she neared the barely airborne dragon, it had been too easy. Cynder felt a searing pain deep within her core and let out a wail as her wings beat the opposite way and propelled her away from Spyro. The feeling continued to intensify like a stomach ache and the behemoth of a dragon curled up into a tight ball in mid-flight with a groan.

Confused Spyro turned around once he stopped tumbling head over tail through the air. Could it be a ploy? Stealth and Hex had tried to win over Flameslinger and Rider through tricks after all; maybe Cynder was going to try the same with him. The enormous dragon's neck shuddered and she screamed suddenly, light poured out of her nose, mouth, eyes and even the ear holes on the side of her head just before her body was forced out into a great stretch. Her wings stopped beating and her gigantic form began to fall towards the ground.  
"No!" Spyro gasped as he took on a size to match and dropped rapidly after Cynder. He couldn't let her fall, he wouldn't.  
The dark dragon's chest seemed to grow thin as light shone through her scales. The light that poured out of every orifice in her head had seemed to relocate. With a blinding flash it erupted from her chest.

Double Trouble was forced to shield his eyes from the glow. It was so bright that everything, including the arm he had thrown up to protect his eyes had vanished. He heard yells of surprise around him including ones from Hex and Niall.  
"What is going on?" Pop Fizz whimpered.  
Eloryn's ecstatic laugher seemed so out of place in the confusion but also seemed to be the only answer anyone needed. "It is not over yet!" the princess yelled.  
"Just like that, my efforts were unnecessary," Niall said as his eyes began to adjust to the light. He saw everyone around him in stark contrast to the brightness that had consumed everything. He looked to Hex; she was free of corruption and stared openly at the display above them.

Spyro's eyes widened as he approached the epicenter of the light. He put his paws out in front of him as if they could stop his momentum as he beat his wings furiously to regain altitude. He wasn't afraid of the light he saw but knew he couldn't slam into it without unwanted effects. As the dragon's eyes adjusted to the light he saw a sight that froze his wings in mid beat. The dragon failed to realize that not only had he been returned to his normal size but even with the lack of flapping wings he was held aloft.  
From the heart of the light two forms emerged, one bore the glowing feathered wings Spyro would always link to the priestess and the figure that she held up was a sight for sore eyes. Clutched gingerly under her front legs and held tightly against Seraphina's chest was Cynder. The dragon was normal sized and appeared to be unconscious with her head rolling freely. She should have still been too large for the smaller eirian to hold up but she seemed to have no trouble.

When Spyro's senses finally returned his eyes were drawn to the monstrous form of the dragon he thought was Cynder sprawled across the bone colored landscape broken from her fall. Spyro darted in close to Seraphina and held his front limbs out with a look of relief so profound Seraphina couldn't help but smile as she shifted Cynder into the purple dragon's waiting claws. Spyro tugged her close to him and closed his eyes as he nuzzled her tenderly. The glow began to retreat and when Spyro opened his eyes he saw the eirian slowly drifting to the ground. Without another thought Spyro followed her and set Cynder down carefully at a safe distance from the broken mockery of the dark dragon.

"Seraphina!" Eloryn yelled as she ran to her sister. When she slammed into her sister and threw her arms around the other princess she nearly knocked her over. Eloryn hugged her fiercely as the rest of their group began to converge on them. "You worried me for a minute. Where are Meilyr and Ani?"  
"You did not notice them gone when you ran to me earlier?" Seraphina asked weakly. She leaned on Eloryn more so than she stood on her own. "I sent them back to Uzern, they were ready. No, I already told you that. I remember now. Did you forget?" Seraphina looked confused as she looked back to her sister. Eloryn gave her a sheepish little grin, she had forgotten.  
"You look like death warmed over, no pun intended," Rider said as he moved in to support Seraphina when Eloryn stepped back. He watched Hex glide in on her other side and noticed how she refused to look at him.

"You need to rest, Seraphina," Niall said as he pried open one of her eyes to look into it. "You have nearly exhausted yourself."  
"We are so close. Timber has finally shown himself," she sighed as she let her head rest in the hand Niall had under her chin. With Hex and Rider supporting her she allowed herself to slump.  
"He has?" Rider looked up and around. He couldn't see anything.  
"The broken dragon," Seraphina murmured. "He had nearly taken Cynder. I need to send her back, she is weakened and will fall easily if not."  
"Do it," Spyro said with narrowed eyes. "I stand with you. Let's end this." All he did was blink and Cynder was gone. His front feet hit the ground and he stood tall and proud, he would make Timber pay.

Slowly Seraphina pulled away from the supporting shoulders of Hex and Rider and nearly stumbled to the ground.  
"Light, you cannot do this now!" Eloryn said as she caught her sister. "Let me invigorate you," the youngest princess said.  
"No, Elo, just go back. Safer," Seraphina murmured. She squeezed her eyes shut, light was she tired.  
"She is right," Niall said as he walked up next to her. Eloryn nodded to him and the two of them took Seraphina by a cheek each. Their hands seemed to glow where they made contact and after a moment Seraphina looked more alert and awake. She tried to push the two away but they refused to back off. After a while it was Niall and Eloryn that looked worn out while Seraphina was more awake.  
"You fools," she smiled at them. "Thank you." Seraphina gave Eloryn a tight hug before the princess vanished. She reached out and had just barely stroked Niall's hand before he too was gone.

In Uzern the Flashwingling and Voodoodling crumpled suddenly just as the gargoyles were moving Cynder away. Two more moved in to help relocate the exhausted Skylanders to grass mats for rest.  
"I'm surprised they didn't go back to Earth to recharge," Ginny-Li said softly as she laid out mats for each of them. The gargoyles didn't understand what she meant and had no reply for the giant. Once the Skylanders were nestled in for the night they returned to their vigil.

"They made it back safely," Seraphina said before she took a deep breath. "Last chance, are you with me or ready to throw in the towel?" She was still tired but felt much better thanks to the combined efforts of her sister and Niall.  
"I am standing here, no?" Flameslinger said as he crossed his arms over his chest and gave the priestess a firm look.  
"I've got your back," Spyro said with a toss of his head. His eyes were heavy but he wasn't ready to call it quits yet.  
"I'm ready," Stealth bowed in respect.  
Windy paced about nervously for a moment, "Timber is my friend. I'm gonna help save him."  
"A knight never abandons a lady in need," Rider said as he transitioned into a deeply formal bow.  
Pop Fizz laughed as he shook his head, "I _must_ be insane. I'm in."  
"He will pay for rooting through my memories and feelings," Hex said coldly.  
"My magic is yours, Priestess," Double Trouble held up his staff as if he were offering it to her.

The wheezing sound of laughter drifted in to the group. Once all eyes were on the twisted form of the monstrous Cynder the body shuddered and melted into a green mist that swirled with black and seemingly ate the brighter green. "So loyal," the voice that had been behind Cynder's said. "So confused and helpless. My little playmates."  
"Timber!" Windy wailed, "Why are you doing this?" Her ears had dropped as she finally came face to face with her friend.  
"Because I can," the mist said as the black became the dominate color. "Why do you resist me so? You cannot fight the laws of nature and here _I_ am that law!"  
"Timber's ego has won control," Seraphina murmured to herself. "Of course, that explains the lack of nightmare crawlers." He had banished them after they had warped him.  
"I am the only nightmare here," the ego whispered back to Seraphina. His voice still carried and echoed in murmurs and softer whispers that the others heard just as clearly.

The greenish black mist spread out and flowed in around the group at roughly knee level. Flameslinger sidestepped and picked his knees up high with a look of disgust as he did. "What kind of trickery is this?" he demanded.  
"This is Timber's true form," Seraphina said as she forced the mist out and away from everyone. "He is a nature spirit and has no body. Why did I not see it earlier?"  
"My people pray to his kind," Double Trouble said as he watched the mist press in against Seraphina's invisible barrier. "That explains how he knew the mākutu but why nothing else made sense."  
"Yes," Timber's voice said in a way to make it sound as if it came from every direction at once. "Those like me are your spirit guides, I would have thought you smart enough to figure it out. I guess I was wrong," the spirit said snidely. His non-corporeal form rolled up the sides of the barrier Seraphina held steadfast to eclipse the view of the landscape for all inside.

"What's the plan?" Rider asked Seraphina in the growing darkness.  
"I am going to remove the barrier," she said as she made eye contact with the other elf. "Timber will make his move and we go from there. I cannot hope to combat him sitting safely behind a shield and I doubt any of you want to sit this out either." Timber wasn't going to respond to her banter like Sprint did, at the point Timber was at only a good beat down would work.  
"That's not a very good plan," Pop Fizz pointed out with a grimace.  
"You have a better one?" Hex scoffed, "Then do tell. I'm sure Timber is eager to hear it as well." She held her arms out to indicate the being that had surrounded them. "Just do what you do best."  
"Whenever you're ready," Spyro said. He was ready to take off and after a moment Windy followed his lead then nodded. As soon as everyone else expressed their state of preparedness the psionic wall came down and the greenish black mist engulfed them.

Spyro and Windy shot up through it; tendrils followed them in an attempt to catch them unsuccessfully. The two dragons moved off together and Spyro filled Windy in on his plan once they had enough distance from Timber.  
Pop Fizz threw exploding potions that made the mist recoil violently from him and Flameslinger allowed his enchanted boots to do the talking for him. "Your little booms, they need work!" Flameslinger laughed. "The mist, it reforms too quickly. Make it bigger?"  
"Bigger, right," Pop Fizz said as he took a potion in each hand and shook them as hard as he could. The whole of the gremlin's blue furry body vibrated with the fury and when the bottles finally exploded from the pressure they left not only the area clear of mist but a fairly large crater behind. Pop Fizz stood mysteriously untouched in the middle and wore a big, dumb grin. "Better?"  
"Oh mon ami, now you understand!" Flameslinger chuckled as he put up a line of fire to keep the mist from rolling back in on Pop Fizz.

Rider was surprised when he was jerked off his feet and heft up into the air to dangle upside down. Stealth reached out to grab him and even tried to slash at the mist with her blades. The mist swirled back in easily as if she hadn't even disturbed it. "That's not going to work," the upside down Skylander informed her. "Do things with more flare here, Flameslinger will gladly teach you."  
Stealth grunted but got the idea. She leapt up and swiped at the mist that held Rider with both blades at once. It was nothing more than a curious thought; Stealth wondered what would happen if her blades were more like battle axes and the result was the suddenly enormous curved blades sliced through the misty object that held Rider in two places. The thickness of the blades did what her earlier attempt couldn't and kept the mist severed. Rider yelled out in surprise when he hit the bone colored ground hard. "Did that have enough flair for Hot Foot?" Stealth smirked.  
"I'd be more impressed if the crown of my head wasn't bruised," Rider groaned from where he was sprawled out.  
"Sorry," Stealth said sheepishly as she helped him up.  
"Use your scarecrows," the other elf said as he stumbled to regain his balance. "I think their spinning might hold Timber away from us somewhat."

Both Seraphina's and Double Trouble's staves should have been too unbalanced for the fast and furious spin they were giving them. Like a cheerleader's baton the two spun their staves elegantly around their hands and walked out to push Timber into a smaller area. It had worked beautifully, without needing to tell anyone they had begun to push the nature spirit in on one confined spot.  
"Pop Fizz's idea has merit," Seraphina said with a glance to Double Trouble. The tiki man gave her a toothy grin and summoned quickly three pint-sized versions of himself. They bobbed along happily humming tunelessly as they sought out the furthest reaching sections of Timber's mass. One by one they exploded and the mist recoiled into a tighter formation each time. The tiki man did it again to get the mist to tighten up further.

"Bah!" Timber snorted. "I will play on your terms," the spirit said sourly. Consciously he pulled in the whole of his mass and compressed it into a more recognizable shape. "You thought I was one of you, well now I am!" he chuckled as he turned to Double Trouble. The predominately black mist was now holding a solid shape that looked strikingly like a tiki man with a hooked beak hawk mask. "Just a little more," the nature spirit thought aloud as he altered himself to hold more colors than just green and black. "Better?" he held his purple arms out wide. When he brought them back in he flicked one wrist and the mist that made him formed a staff. "Better," the hawkish face he had given himself grinned.

Double Trouble scowled and thumped the butt of his staff against the ground to send out a ripple of eldritch energy. It caused Timber's temporary form to waver and ripple like a reflection on water.  
"Oh you find this offensive?" Timber said in mock surprise. "Let's see what else I can parody, then!" he cackled before lowering his staff and firing a bolt of eldritch back at Double Trouble.  
The tiki man stumbled back with a grunt at the impact and Hex moved in smoothly to fire phantom orbs rapidly at Timber. She kept approaching him as each one left her open hands. The sorceress wore a hard look of determination in her methodical advance. Timber stumbled back and put up his staff arm to fend off the undead's attacks. So involved with Hex was he that Timber failed to see Windy and Spyro come at him from behind. Windy dropped tempest clouds that showered Timber with lightning and Spyro made use of his electric breath abilities.

The mock tiki man howled in rage, he was pummeled with phantom orbs and wracked with electricity. Pinned down by three forces he thought he might have over stepped his bounds. At least that was what he felt until Flameslinger zipped by and slammed a potion courtesy of Pop Fizz down at his feet. The resulting blast knocked Timber out of the area of effect and allowed him to retaliate.  
"Oh real smooth," Stealth snapped as she dashed past others and used her distraction tactics to close in on Timber and slash him across the face with a blade. Hex refused to stop her barrage and took a moment to charge a stronger phantom orb that once again knocked Timber down. The sorceress approached with a blank expression and her attacks came faster and faster.

Timber went on the defense instantly and once more took the gigantic, twisted form that had been the prison for Cynder and Seraphina for a short while. He altered it slightly to remain male for his second use of it and the magenta underbelly and webbing of the wings turned dark green before fading into a a rich grey at the tips. "Annoying little gnats," the behemoth spat as he tried to stomp on Pop Fizz at the same time he slapped at Windy and Spyro with his wings. "This is my playground and my rules!" The Skylanders had scattered in fear from his massive feet, all except the priestess. "I'd say you had balls but well, then you wouldn't be the pretty little thing that you are. Your friend Meilyr is jealous of Kaelin's luck," he chuckled. "No reaction? Guess I have to try harder then." Timber grinned as the little ants swarmed back in behind the priestess. Even the dragons landed to regroup.

"What's he talkin' about?" Pop Fizz asked.  
"Kaelin, her husband and rightful King of Haven," Hex replied with narrowed eyes. "That bastard knows all of our deepest secrets."  
"We know all of one another's now as well," Stealth admitted softly.  
"I thought that elf Elanniah was queen," the gremlin scratched his head in confusion.  
"She's Kaelin's mother. Now is not the time for this!" Hex snapped.  
"I agree," Spyro said as he growled and stepped forward. "Stand back, let me challenge him alone."  
"Let him," Seraphina said when others began to protest. "One by one you will wear him down until I can finish him."

Timber laughed, his long tail lashed behind him like an angry cat's. "Oh so you will let them wear me out while you sit back and watch? I shall make the show one to remember as I take each of them one by one and turn them against you!"  
Seraphina inclined her head, "If that is what you choose to believe will happen."  
Timber's wings snapped out and he prepared himself for flight, "You're so full of yourself, little elf. Breaking you will be delicious fun." The force of his first downbeat nearly bowled everyone over if not for the psionic wall Seraphina threw up to compliment Double Trouble's of magic. The hulking dragon laughed darkly as he rose into the sky. "Come then Spyro; show me what you're made of!"


	40. A Force of Nature

**A Force of Nature**

Timber accused Seraphina of being full of herself but Spyro felt the nature spirit was all bark and no bite. His enormous size was only proof of over-compensating in Spyro's mind. The purple dragon knew however he would be a fool to face Timber and hold back. No, he would meet Timber blow for blow and show the imposter what a _real_ dragon was made of. The dreary purplish grey of the sky made everything look so bored and lifeless, the bone white ground only allowed Spyro to easily see the rest of his party below him.  
"I thought you were going to give me a _real_ fight," Timber growled as he circled back around to blow past the tiny purple dragon. "This is the best you can do?" he chuckled. "Not even worth my time." Timber punctuated his statement by pursing his lips and blowing air at Spyro. The purple dragon's wings caught it and it lift him up higher and off to the right against his will. "Like a leaf in the wind! I will grow bored of you and your friends but I will not tire out from your sad attempts."

Spyro narrowed his eyes and tucked his wings in against his body to plummet quickly. He could work Timber's larger size and habit of using gale force winds against him to his advantage. The purple dragon unfolded one wing slightly to alter the angle of his descent then snapped both out to wheel up and level out. "Size doesn't matter," Spyro muttered to himself. "I can be just as powerful as Timber." Flames licked at the corners of Spyro's mouth as he prepared a fireball. The dragon kept building up heat and pressure until his jaws ached and he was forced to release it. The fireball that emerged from his mouth was so bright white it seemed to turn the whole of the sky white.

The enormous false dragon yelled in agony as the brightness assaulted his eyes. He had turned to fly at Spyro with his jaws open, intent to swallow the smaller dragon but the light burned him so! Even through his eyelids the horrible brightness penetrated and forced Timber to lift his head and try to angle up. He wasn't worried about the attack hitting him, what harm could such a little orb do anyway? He simply assumed the brightness was the worst of it. That wasn't the case, when the fireball impacted his red scaled chest the air in Timber's lungs seemed to burst into flames before it fled through his nostrils and gaping mouth in a burst of white-hot flames. The false dragon's wings stopped beating as his lungs refused his commands to expand and fill again. Timber was still limited by the rules of the normal world and thought he needed to draw breath to survive.

"That's more like it," Spyro smirked as he went into a dive. Spyro wanted to pummel the dragon while he was out of sorts and switched gears to an earth attack. Spyro charged up the green orb as he raced down towards Timber. When the energy hummed Spyro released it and was jolted up slightly by the force of the attack. Missiles of rock broke away from the central point and honed in on the thrashing dragon form of Timber. They impacted his hide in several places and Spyro was confused when they seemed to melt into him like raindrops on the surface of a pond. Spyro tried it again but without the longer charge to see if he could just riddle Timber with rock shards.

Rumbling laughter came from Timber's throat and his wings snapped out before he surged back up towards Spyro. The much smaller dragon's eyes widened in surprise as he tried futilely to get out of the way. A shoulder the size of a house slammed into Spyro and he tumbled helplessly over Timber's back and bounced off a wing before the massive creature snagged him in a clawed paw. "I am a nature spirit, I'm aligned with earth!" Timber yelled ecstatically, "Earth attacks do not harm me rather they _heal_ me!"  
Spyro's head swam and he felt sick to his stomach, earth attacks healed him? How? Even a dragon could fall victim to their own element of alignment. The dragon groaned. He felt much too weak still from the nasty hit he took when Timber rammed him. What happened next?

"Hex, Rider," Seraphina said as she pointed. "The two of you should tag team him. Steal his wings."  
"With pleasure," Hex managed a wicked little grin as she floated off and transformed into her pale blue and black dragon form. Unlike Timber she didn't inflate her size but stuck with a normal adult dragon's size.  
"On it," Rider nodded. He jogged out away from the rest of the group and while still running transformed into the mint green and brown dragon he had been before. His wings opened and he launched himself just behind Hex and the two rose into the sky.

"I've got Spyro!" Rider yelled as he angled in towards the claw that held the only true dragon in the aerial battle. Timber could just as easily snag him in one hand; the only difference being that unlike Spyro Rider wouldn't be completely hidden. The shrill cries of rage he heard from Hex sent a chill down his spine, she would make a fearsome dragon and be a beast of terror if it were her true form.  
"Divide and conquer?" Timber asked with a tsking sound. "The two of you are nothing!" His massive body shivered as he altered his rise into a dive in a way no normal dragon could. Timber didn't tilt his body into a dive; rather he simple rearranged his features so his neck and head were where his tail had been moments ago just as the rest of his limbs flowed back into a normal arrangement. It was a disgusting sight to see limbs that should have been held a certain way due to the presence of bone shift so easily into another location before they settled again into a setting deemed natural by the eye. "I hold all the cards!" Timber bellowed before he opened his jaws and sent forth a blast of black fire at Hex.

She wasn't even fazed one bit by the black fire that had engulfed her. Hex continued to fly head-on towards Timber. She showed no fear when the huge beast opened his jaws wider and his gaping maw became like a cave entrance riddled with stalagmites and stalactites.  
Rider roared and hit the paw that held Spyro about then and with a little ingenuity turned the edge of his wing into a razor edge that sliced easily through the behemoth's wrist. Timber jerked away from Hex with a pained roar as his now severed front paw plummeted towards the earth. He tried to swat at Rider with his tail but the other false dragon had already gone into a dive to pry open the balled fist and free Spyro.  
"You're mine!" Hex screamed at Timber as she tucked her wings closer to her body and miraculously still managed to gain altitude as she went into a corkscrew motion.

"She is insane!" Flameslinger gasped as he watched Hex's kamikaze flight.  
Stealth narrowed her eyes, "No, she's brilliant!"  
"I thought she was a dragon," Pop Fizz said with such honesty he got more than a few strange looks.  
"Seraphina, Rider," Double Trouble pointed to the mint green dragon that was still struggling to pry open the dead digits on Timber's severed paw. He was in a free fall and running out of time to get Spyro out.  
The priestess glanced towards the paw and it simply stopped falling. Rider lurched to a stop and at first pushed off the paw to fly on his own before he realized what had transpired and moved back in with renewed conviction to free Spyro. "Watch Hex," the elven psionic said as she turned back towards the pale blue dragon.

Hex only seemed to pick up speed as she neared Timber. By then he had turned his attention back to her and shifted so Hex was heading towards his hindquarters. The smaller dragon hit him with surprising force and Timber's initial yelp turned into an intense scream of pain. Hex's momentum had turned her into a living drill and she was burrowing through Timber's hip at an alarming rate.  
"Stop it you little parasite!" Timber howled as he curled up on himself and tried to grab Hex with his one good paw. She only shredded it when he did and the dragon was without two paws then. Timber howled in rage and seemed to explode again into the predominately black and green mist before he rained down to the ground.

"Look out!" Rider yelled when the paw he was working on suddenly broke into mist and Spyro went back into a free fall. He just did manage to catch the small dragon by the tail and gently lowered him to the ground. Above them circled Hex with a triumphant roar. Rider reverted to his elven form when Stealth and Double Trouble rushed in to check on Spyro.  
"Is he alright?" Stealth asked urgently.  
"He is tired and dazed," the tiki man replied. "Pop, we need a potion now!"  
The gremlin nearly tripped over his own feet as he dug through his bag and simultaneously ran towards the group. "Here, here!" he danced around as he handed it to Double Trouble.

"What are we to be expecting next?" Flameslinger asked Seraphina as the mist flowed away from them.  
"He is weakening. Windy, your turn."  
"Me?" she asked in a surprised squeak. "What am I, how do I," she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "What do you want me to do?"  
"Talk to him," the priestess said as she turned around. "Reason with him. Do not attack him, defend yourself but do not harm him in any way when you do. We will step in if this tactic fails." The priestess watched Hex circle the group as she searched for a place to land.  
"What do I talk about?" Windy squeaked as Seraphina walked off.  
"Things that he would remember about your time together under Krystal," the priestess said with a glance over her shoulder. "Go now, before he gets the will to lash out at us again."

Windy had never felt so alone like she had at that moment. She idly watched Hex land and smoothly transition back into an elf before she joined the others next to Spyro. The potion bottle was empty and Double Trouble was rubbing Spyro's throat to get him to swallow the liquid. Stealth turned to congratulate Hex on a unique display. The sorceress shrugged away from Rider when he tried to clap her on the shoulder. He gave her a confused look but turned instead to greet Flameslinger when he shouldered Rider hard with a laugh.  
Windy felt left out at that point, she had been given a task but she still wasn't sure how to go about it. Talk about things Timber would remember meant good memories most likely. The blue hybrid turned back around and realized the mist had nearly all vanished. There was just the thinnest tendril left and it was rapidly shrinking into the distance. She gasped and took off after it in a near run.

"You just gonna let her go?" Pop Fizz asked Seraphina as he began to follow the hybrid. He was surprised when she grabbed him by the arm and spun him back around. "Wha..?"  
"Let her go," the priestess said firmly yet quietly. She arched a brow as she made eye contact with the screw-eyed gremlin.  
"Oh!" he exclaimed, "I get it now! Yer gonna let her-" the rest of his sentence was muffled by the blue hand Double Trouble slapped over his mouth. The tiki man pressed a finger to the toothy grimace on his mask and shook his head. After a moment of hesitation he pulled his hand away. Pop Fizz nodded vigorously and made the motion of zipping his lips shut. Only in the mindscape he _actually_ zipped his mouth closed.  
"Well," Rider said with a raised brow, "that can certainly be seen as an improvement." He only smirked at the death glare Pop Fizz gave him.

"If Windy cannot talk some sense into him we need to step up our game. Flameslinger," Seraphina pointed to the archer, "I need to you work with Pop Fizz on getting his potions attached to your arrows. Stealth you and Double Trouble are going to work on traps for land and air use. Hex you and Rider are our muscle again if it is needed. For now watch Spyro, talk him through what happened and where he is. After a hit like that he will be confused. If you feel he is slipping let me know and I will send him back to Uzern."  
"And what are you going to do?" Hex asked with her hands on her hips.  
"Eavesdrop," Seraphina replied simply. "And plan out how I will handle Timber with the information."

It hadn't been like this when Windy went after Sprint. It was so much different this time, there had been less combat but somehow Windy had still ended up fighting for her life. "Timber?" she called softly as she walked across the barren landscape. The hybrid froze suddenly, well it _had_ been barren. Ahead of her was an area of large rocks arrayed in such a way that they formed a wall of sorts. Windy looked back over her shoulder and saw that none of the group was even looking her way. She swallowed hard and crept towards the rocks slowly, apparently she was on her own. "Hope I don't get eaten," she grumbled to herself.  
"Now why would I eat you?" a familiar voice said in a warm, friendly tone.  
Windy's blood ran cold and she flinched, that was Timber. "I uh, I don't know," she stammered.  
"Come on Windy, sit with me for a while. You've had a long day, you should rest."  
From the other side of the rocks Windy could smell the most delicious blackberry cobbler wafting gently to her nose. Her stomach growled as if in anticipation of the meal. How perfect was that? She was supposed to talk to Timber and the setting had been placed beautifully into her task.

On the other side of the rocks was a completely different scene. Windy set foot into an open area in the middle of a hedge maze. Her claws clicked as she moved from lush green grass to colorful mosaic tiles. In the middle of the tiled area was a table set for two. One seat was made specifically for a dragon and the other for Timber, he had taken on the form Windy had first met him in, a Tree Rexling. In the center of the white cloth covered table was a slender vase holding a single yellow rose. Surrounding the vase were various food items, everything from fresh fruits to fine cheeses and hot bread. Of course Windy couldn't forget the blackberry cobbler that had made her mouth water by that point.  
"Join me?" Timber asked as he rose to his feet and clomped over the tile to hold out the vacant stool for Windy. She climbed up onto it timidly and allowed him to slide her up next to the table. "So how have you been?" Timber asked.  
Windy wrinkled her nose, really? He was going to ask her how she was after everything he had just put her companions through? "Uh," she began.  
"I see you decided to keep that scarf Krystal gave you," Timber smiled as he took his seat.  
Windy glanced down at her red scarf; she'd worn it for over a year now. What was he talking about? "I love this scarf," Windy replied. "You know that."

Timber began to slice the cobbler and set a large chunk on a plate for Windy. Where did he get the pie cutter? Where did he get the plate for that matter, Windy hadn't seen any extra sitting on the table. The hybrid's head began to hurt, something wasn't right.  
"See, you've gone too long without eating. That headache will go away of you have a full stomach. Normally I'd say sweets are the worst possible thing to eat, but," Timber chuckled.  
"No," Windy said as she shook her head. "Stop it, Timber. I'm not falling for it. You just tried to kill Spyro. We're not having this wonk conversation."  
"Tried to kill Spyro?" Timber said in surprise. He laughed, "Your dreams are something else, let me tell you," he shook his head.

"I'm serious!" Windy barked. "We're sitting in your _mind_ right now! You made all of this around us, you're sick, Timber. And I'm here to help."  
"Sick?" the ent questioned. "No, I'm not the one that's sick. Eat your cobbler, Windy."  
She narrowed her eyes and swatted it off the table. The desert made a splat on the tiles under the table. "I don't want it. I don't want any of this!" Windy yelled as she stood up on her hind legs and began to knock things off the table with her front paws and head.  
"Sit down, Windy," Timber said forcefully. "You are getting worked up over nothing."  
"I will not sit down," Windy snorted as her nostrils flared. "I'm not falling for the same trick twice!" The landscape melted instantly and Timber vanished. Windy found herself standing in a black void of emptiness.

"I tried to be reasonable," Timber's voice snarled. "But you give me no choice. You have let that priestess's influence rule your thoughts. I am your friend, Windy! Don't you trust me more than some underhanded witch? She has them all fooled! She has you fooled. I will just have to set you free."  
Windy yelled as her legs grew weak and when she dropped down to her belly she glanced in horror at the slender fingers that she now possessed. She pushed herself up to her knees and looked down on herself. "No!" she gasped; she was an elf once again. "I don't want to be like this! I'm a dragon!"  
"No, Windy, you aren't!" Timber said. "Don't you want the curse to be gone? You have a chance to live here without the curse."  
"I'm a dragon!" she yelled. Windy closed her eyes and concentrated hard, when she opened them again she was once again a Whirlwindling. She sighed in relief and flexed her restored wings. "If breaking the curse means I have to be an elf then I don't want it broken!"

"So selfish of you," Timber sighed. "Do you think I enjoy being restricted to one form? I loved the freedom to choose what I looked like. I was a chameleon in that respect! I could be whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and for however long that I wanted! This curse is a cage for me!"  
Windy still hadn't seen Timber, his voice kept drifting around as if he were circling her. "Then find a way to break it for you but leave me as I am!"  
"Oh Windy," the voice came again. A moment later and Windy was back in the barren landscape of bone colored ground and purplish grey sky. "I am going to have to destroy you like the rest of them. This saddens me deeply."

A high pitched scream left Windy's lips when she finally saw Timber. He had taken the form of a nightmare crawler. The centaur like creature reached out for Windy with a thin and deceptively strong arm. She couldn't move, so frozen with fear was she.  
"You make this too easy," Timber growled. His narrow fingers brushed Windy's neck before his hand jerked back and he yelled. A flaming arrow shaft stuck out of his upper torso, the shaft extinguished itself but the arrow head remained imbedded in his flesh. When Timber pulled it out he was surprised to learn the arrow head had been made of glass. It was broken but it was obviously a container that had held some kind of liquid. "What in the name of…?" Timber asked bewildered as he stared at it. Another hit him in the back leg and he howled as he jumped. "Those friends of yours," the false nightmare crawler snarled at Windy.

The hybrid quaked with fear as she looked upon Timber; he stopped being Timber in her eyes when he took that awful form. Her eyes had begun to water due to the lack of blinking and the Whirlwindling's breath was rapid gasps for air. She couldn't manage the will to move and didn't even react when two more glass tipped arrows hit Timber. What had happened to him? Timber was nothing like she remembered, the creature before her was a stranger.  
"You are useless," Timber growled as he picked Windy up by the throat. She wiggled weakly and her eyes rolled wildly with panic. "Go back to those fool friends of yours," he snarled before he tossed her like a pebble.

Double Trouble broke Windy's fall with a spell to cushion her. Still the hybrid lay trembling on the ground when the spell let her down easily. "What is the matter?" Double Trouble asked as he knelt by her. Windy wouldn't look at him; she kept her eyes down as the shivers continued.  
Seraphina sighed as she lowered herself to her knees next to the dragon. She stroked Windy's head gently. "Windy, can you hear me?" Still the Whirlwindling gave no indication that she could.  
"What's wrong with her?" Stealth asked as she moved in next to the priestess.  
"She does not want to accept what she experienced with Timber as being him. She is conflicted; I am going to have to send her back. She has reached the point of exhaustion." Seraphina rubbed her eyes and left her hand over her mouth. "So much for doing this the easy way." She shrugged and stood up as Windy vanished. "Are the traps ready?"

"Yes," Stealth replied as she stood as well. "Smoke bombs, electrical pulses and simple explosions. All meant to confuse."  
"Did you place them?"  
"No," Double Trouble shook his head. "We weren't sure where to set them up so we made them in small portable forms that can be tossed about."  
Seraphina nodded, "Good, as soon as Flameslinger hits Timber with the rest of the homing potion arrows we can begin. How is Spyro?"  
"Dying," the dragon snorted his reply. "But I think I'll manage." He drank yet another of Pop Fizz's potions. They were for healing and did nothing to energize him but it was a start.  
"What do you expect us to do?" Rider questioned as he motioned to Hex and himself.  
"When it comes down to it I need you to guarantee that you will let me handle Timber unless I call for you. Spyro can work with you if the muscle is needed."  
"What are you going to do?" Hex asked with narrowed eyes.  
"I am going to pick a fight," the priestess replied as she thumped her staff against the ground.

"Is that not what we have already done?" Flameslinger grinned as he lined up the little arrow heads Pop Fizz was making for him. The gremlin was picking at the larger bottle like it was clay and rolled up the glass and potion before he shaped each tip and somehow managed to keep the potion and glass separate without spilling.  
"I intend to get under his skin and onto his last nerve," Seraphina replied matter-of-factly. "As he will no doubt try to do to me." She watched Flameslinger ready another arrow before he lined up his shot and fired at Timber. "He is waiting for me in any event. Watch yourselves," the priestess said before she strode away.

Windy's return to Uzern was anything but graceful. When she found herself back the hybrid panicked and turned to run through the darkened night cloaked streets. The gargoyles that gave chase terrified her and she ran that much harder to escape them.  
"Dammit, Skylander!" one of the gargoyles yelled through the empty city streets, "We're trying to _help_ you!"  
"Go away, leave me alone!" Windy cried out. She screamed shrilly when she came face to face with one of the multitude of spirits. The female spirit was just as surprised and fled back down the alley she had been drifting through. "Make it stop," Windy whimpered as she collapsed and buried her head under her paws. She was ready to go home, things had gotten way too crazy for her and after seeing Timber present himself like a villain she didn't know what to think. The Whirlwindling closed her eyes tightly and tried to shut out all the sounds around her from the wind in the leaves to the soft flapping of dead vines against a building and the murmur of gargoyle voices as they searched for her.

By the time the group of gargoyles had found Windy she had fallen asleep. Of course the psionics already knew that before they walked down the alley she had tucked herself into.  
"She ain't gonna wake up on us, is she?" a grey horse-faced gargoyle asked and eyed her carefully.  
"Naw, she's out like a light. Help me get her back to the others. Put her next to that elf named Sprint. She'll be more manageable in the morning then." The second gargoyle was reptilian in looks with black skin and a cream colored under belly.  
"It's gonna fall to us to free the rest of em, ain't it?" the equine grunted as he shouldered the weight of Windy's upper body.  
"You know it."  
"Damn."

"I had wondered when you would deem me _weak_ enough to engage me yourself. Such a coward," Timber grinned at Seraphina as the priestess walked around him slowly. He plucked two more of the strange arrows out of his borrowed nightmare crawler form. "Just what do you hope to accomplish with these little potion arrows anyway?" He was more annoyed than concerned about them.  
"I am merely painting a bright red target on you," she replied. Seraphina stopped walking when she was behind Timber and cocked her head to the side. "So your ego is now in control and your true self suppressed?"  
"Ego, true self. Demon, higher self. Darkness, light. Call them what you will," Timber grunted as he turned to face her. "My _stronger_ half reins now, the weak part of me is tucked away as it should have been from the beginning."  
"Oh but the weak part of you is the one in control. Your other part just needs to realize this."

Timber laughed, "Is this what you did to Sprint? You talked her down? Well of course, you're a dame and she's a dame. Chicks do that, don't they? Talk about their feelings and thoughts," the nightmare crawler spat in disgust. "Sorry but that crap won't fly here."  
"Oh I know that," Seraphina nodded. She was completely unruffled and began to circle Timber again.  
"So… you plan to bore me to death?" he rolled his eyes. Another of the arrows hit him followed rapidly by two more. Timber scowled as he dug them all out only to have two more take their places. "Your little archer is going to get snapped in two!" he roared back at Flameslinger. The next arrow to hit him was pure flames.  
"He is done, for now. Worry not," Seraphina waved. "So, Timber. Are you waiting for me to make the first move or does that honor belong to you?"

"Formality before the brawl," Timber chuckled, "You are a strange creature indeed." Timber swept into a mock bow. "Ladies first." The next moment he found himself sprawled on his side with a very tender jaw. Seraphina hadn't even moved. "Dirty little wench," he snapped. The nightmare crawler pushed himself back to his feet and rubbed his jaw. No sooner had he taken a step forward was he wrenched up by all four of his feet and left to dangle upside down. Timber's eyes narrowed, "I see. Now there is no warning. You aren't like a mage, you don't need to shout an incantation or make frilly motions with your hands," he wiggled his fingers to punctuate the statement. "So be it." Timber's nightmare crawler visage broke into mist again and began to snake around towards Seraphina.

The priestess glanced back to Stealth and Double Trouble, as she had asked of them moments ago while she toyed with Timber they had set up the traps they made. Smoke bombs looked like little white eggs, electrical bursts were glowing yellow orbs and the bombs were shaped like grenades. Seraphina went for the white eggs, four of them sailed through the air without anyone physically moving them and she slammed them into the long snaking trail Timber had made of himself. The smoke bombs disrupted Timber's hold on himself, the white smoke billowed up, stretched him out thin and gave him less substance. The smoke kept drifting out and took parts of his mist form with it. The further he was separated from his main mass the weaker he became. The nature spirit began to panic as he was forced to divert his attention from the priestess towards the parts of him that threatened to become lost.

A few yellow orbs were tossed at the largest collection of mist and when they discharged little arcs raced quickly through the whole cloud that was Timber and further strained his tenuous hold on himself. Seraphina walked closer to the mist, even when he finally was able to pull himself together the damage would be done and Timber would be weakened further. All Seraphina did was put up a low psionic wall that allowed his mist to collect against it and keep it from drifting back to the others. She could tell they didn't like sitting around but Seraphina needed to control the battle field and she couldn't with them acting as wildcards. She had involved them in earlier preparations so she could at least partially sate their desire for retribution. Now though it was Seraphina's turn, she had sat out for them so they could sit out for her.

Slowly Timber collected himself and formed into the familiar visage of Tree Rex. "I see that my true form is dangerous to take around you." Timber shrugged, "Then I will find the one that best suits our encounter. Your brother perhaps?" The nature spirit warped and twisted his giant form into a smaller elven form. He bore the copper skin, platinum ponytail and plate armor that Anicetus was known for. "You trust him with your life, do you not?" Timber even sounded like Anicetus as he grinned. "I could be a prince," he struck as noble a pose as he could. "Rule a kingdom, what a king I would make!"  
"The position is already filled," Seraphina said flatly. She picked up a single grenade with her psionics and slammed it into the ground at the mock Anicetus's feet.  
The explosion blew up Timber's disguise and turned him back into mist. "My illusions are too easily broken," he growled more to himself than her. Timber reformed again as a Tree Rexling. "How to best combat you."

Seraphina's staff flashed once, the signal Flameslinger had been waiting for. He chuckled and picked up the green arrow heads Pop Fizz had made once his homing potion ones had been spent. "Time to test your craftsmanship."  
"Time to test your skill," Pop Fizz replied with furrowed brows.  
"Light," Stealth sighed, "You used a _homing_ potion at first! He could fire the arrow in the completely opposite direction and it would still find Timber!"  
"Oh! Then perhaps I will!" Flameslinger said happily as he spun on his heel, aimed for Rider and pulled back on the fiery bow.  
"Have you lost your mind!?" Rider exclaimed as he dropped to the ground just as the arrow sailed overhead. He craned his neck back and watched with baited breath as the arrow looped up, flipped back and sailed the other way before it landed true in Timber's shoulder. "Now I'm impressed." Rider rose to his feet and dusted himself off. "Point it at me again and I'll pick up one and stab you with it myself."  
"Mon ami, I do not think so," Flameslinger grinned.

Timber's fingers locked into strange claw-like positions as he howled in pain. There was a feeling like _fire_ where the arrow had hit but unlike the flames that died once they made contact this continued to burn and spread. Timber reached over his shoulder and fingered the wound in an effort to pull out whatever it was that so hurt him. He hissed and jerked his fingers back quickly. They were raw suddenly and as he watched the wound grew. "Acid?" he barked. "You throw _acid_ at me?" The priestess was playing for keeps; she didn't seem to care what happened to him. Timber narrowed his eyes, "That's your game then."  
"That is _our_ game," she corrected. "They are here to help me." She held her hand out to the Cores and when Timber turned to look at them he found two more arrows sailing towards him. The ent tried to dodge them but they changed direction to follow him.

"The first potion!" Timber seethed with rage when the second and third arrows found their mark. That's what she meant by painting a target on him. "You will die!" he bellowed. "All of you will _die_!" Timber reverted again to mist just before Flameslinger's next two arrows hit. The glass heads broke and the acid spilled on the ground harmlessly as Timber surged towards Seraphina.  
"The smoke bombs!" Double Trouble yelled. He looked to Spyro and the dragon got his meaning quickly. Spyro grabbed three in one paw and took to the skies to drop them on Timber. He scowled deeply when Timber's anticipation turned into him making large holes in his misty form that flowed around the smoke bombs effortlessly. He wasn't going to be nailed by the same trick twice.  
"My turn," Pop Fizz said as he popped a cork, drank a potion and grabbed the rest of the smoke bombs as well as some of the electrical orbs. The gremlin increased rapidly in size and the earth trembled under his feet.  
"Get back here!" Hex demanded. She very nearly raised a bone wall in front of him but hesitated when Stealth stepped in front of her.  
"Let him try, Seraphina will stop him if she doesn't want him in the area."

Pop Fizz's breath sounded like a mix between a grunt and pant as he quickly closed the distance between himself and the misty form of the nature spirit. He threw one of the yellow orbs first and when it stunned the mist then he lobbed a smoke bomb. Pop Fizz's face split into a wicked grin as he finally reached the last bit of Timber's form. He tossed one of the electrical orbs into the middle of the mass to paralyze it before he smashed all of the smoke bombs down at once. The greenish black mist billowed out in a wide area and seemed to simply dissipate as it did.  
"Thank you, Pop. But you should probably go back to the others now," Seraphina said to the gremlin.  
"Why, didn't we just win?" Pop Fizz cocked his head to the side and perked one ear up while the other lay back against his head. "Didn't we?"  
Seraphina shook her head, "I am afraid it is not that easy. Again, thank you but you really should return to the others for safety."  
"Why is it any safer where they are than right here next to you?" Both of his ears went down, the gremlin was a little self-conscious about himself at times and didn't want to feel like Seraphina was running him off because he was, well, himself.

"Because at the moment she's the only one I want!" Timber roared as he exploded upward from under Pop Fizz. The gremlin cried out in surprise as he was tossed into the air. Timber had taken the form of a giant but none of the familiar faces known to the Skylanders. Rather he looked like a minotaur with two sets of horns and a long scaled tail. The beast grabbed Pop Fizz by a leg and swung him around quickly to smash the gremlin into the ground. He reared back to do it again, Pop Fizz's arms were limp at his sides by then and he had been forced to revert to his smaller size.  
"Pop!" Stealth screamed as she pressed her knuckles to her lips. "Do something!" she looked to Spyro. It was Hex that sprang into action first.

Taking the temporary dragon form Hex had grown to like was too cliché for her so she remained her undead self. Only she did alter her style of movement, inspired by Zap's wave riding Hex's trailing purple mist billowed up and rolled her on swooping clouds to put her right under Pop Fizz when Timber tried to slam him into the ground again. Hex's attempt was only enhanced by Seraphina's sudden lunge at Timber's wrist. The minotaur's fingers released the battered gremlin and Hex caught him. She coasted out of arm's reach of the giant and knelt down next to Pop Fizz. The gremlin groaned, already his left eye had swollen shut and a busted lip leaked crimson down his chin.  
"Light, you're a mess," the sorceress muttered. She looked up when Timber roared again, Seraphina was sitting atop his shoulders and had wrapped her staff around his thick neck before she pulled it tight against him. "Which potion heals, quickly now!" Hex muttered. Pop Fizz wasn't known for his healing potions, she hoped beyond hope that the ones he had been giving Spyro earlier came pre-mixed from his pouch. Hex didn't know enough about mixing to make it herself and Pop Fizz himself was in no condition to do it.

"Have to mix them," Pop Fizz muttered around the busted lip.  
Hex scowled and balled her hands into fists before she slammed them into her thighs. She looked up hopefully when she heard another voice. Double Trouble had sent out little clones of himself to harass Timber as he ghosted quickly in.  
The first clone exploded and made Timber stumble to his backside when the tiki man arrived. "He's broken nearly every bone in his body!" Double Trouble exclaimed with wide eyes. "This is a lot of healing."  
"Can you do it?" Hex pushed right to the point.  
"If I had time, of course. But it is dangerous here." He looked back as his second clone exploded, only one left.  
"Then get him well enough to move. Do it now!"

Timber had finally wrapped his fingers around Seraphina's lithe frame and pulled her off his shoulders. "So persistent you are!" he snarled as he shook her. Timber stomped on the final clone of Double Trouble and barely flinched when it exploded under foot. "I know just what to do to you," he grinned maliciously.  
The priestess's eyes widened when Timber's massive hand began to glow, she felt him draining the energy Niall and Eloryn had gifted her with. "How did you know?"  
"A defense mechanism!" Timber replied. "When threatened a nature spirit can sap the strength of an enemy to heal themselves. Very effective against trolls and also eirian priestesses that refuse to give up."

"Now, go now!" Rider yelled to the others. There was no holding back now and he along with Stealth, Flameslinger and Spyro took off to join the fray. They had to stop Timber from harming their lifeline, for the moment the gargoyles supposedly watching them were forgotten and only Seraphina seemed to matter.  
"Mon Dieu! This nightmare has no end!" Flameslinger gasped. As he ran he drew his bow, he had two acid potion tips left and planned to use them to make Timber drop the eirian he held so tightly.  
"This guy was a _Skylander_?" Spyro scoffed. How could a Skylander be so dark?  
"If this is the result of psionic tampering then Kaos can't _ever_ get his hands on it," Stealth said breathlessly as she ran towards Timber.

"Go, do what you have to," Double Trouble said without looking up. "I've got Pop Fizz."  
"You better pull through, gremlin," Hex growled at him. "I'll never forgive you if you give up." She stood up fast enough to startle Double Trouble, she put a hand out to prevent him from rising any further and he settled back to healing the gremlin. "I have had about enough from you!" Hex bellowed as she raised a bone wall then slammed a skull stuffed with a phantom orb into it. The wall exploded outward and Timber's legs as well as torso were riddled with bone.  
About the same time Flameslinger had finally found a decent shot and let loose his arrow. He prayed with all his might that the homing potion wouldn't draw the arrow to Timber's middle; he wanted to shoot him in the wrist. The first shot took the giant in the thigh and Flameslinger bit back a curse before he took aim again. The second arrow hit the thrashing giant where he had intended and Seraphina fell like a doll to the ground.

"Get me in close, Spyro," Stealth commanded as the dragon picked her up with his front paws. She dangled with one arm, her other hand already held one of her blades. Spyro could use an elemental attack on him to confuse him and Stealth could work to weaken him from there. Providing he didn't revert to his aggravating mist form. Who ever got to Seraphina first would be in charge of getting her to safety.  
"I'm going to drop you right on his head if the horns aren't in the way," the dragon promised.  
"Just get me close and on the ground," she said. "Draw his attention away from me."  
"Alright," Spyro nodded. "Elf away!" he yelled as he dropped her behind Timber then circled around front to blow fire in his face. Hex was similarly running circles around Timber and weaving through his legs to hit him with phantom orbs and charged skulls every chance she got. Flameslinger kept firing flaming arrows and the giant's skin was peppered with wounds.

Rider skid to a stop and nearly tripped over his own feet before he dropped to his knees near Seraphina. "Don't leave us here," the elf urged the priestess. Her eyes could barely focus; it looked like she was having to battle just to keep them open. "What did your sister and Niall do earlier, what did Timber just do to you?" Seraphina's lips moved weakly but no sound came out of them. Rider turned his head to the side and placed his ear near her lips.  
"Psionic rejuvenation gift," Rider heard Seraphina whisper.  
"How do I do it, what do you need me to do? Take it from me then send me back. Do it!" Rider looked to her side and picked up her hand before he squeezed it. "Do it!" he repeated as he closed his eyes. There was warmth in his hand suddenly and the strangest feeling Rider had ever experienced. For a moment he could feel his own hand through Seraphina's. He felt both himself holding her and felt it from her standpoint as if he were the one being supported in another's arms. Rider slowly slumped over the priestess. When the extra sensations faded Rider found that it _was_ him being held in her arms.  
"Thank you," Seraphina whispered to him. "Go, rest now. I will send Pop Fizz after you."

Fright squawked in irritation when Rider fell over onto his head. The ostrich couldn't move and his clawed feet scrabbled for purchase against the weight of his companion. His head had been trapped between Rider's lap and chest.  
"Another one's out!" Ginny-Li called. She had just roused Nivaeus for his watch when she noticed Rider slump over. The Ninjiniling floated quickly over and helped free Fright. The bird paced back and forth as he bobbed his head when Ginny-Li lift the elf up in her arms.  
"Let me check him," an older avian gargoyle psionic said as he waddled up to the giant. He scowled at her until she leaned over so he could touch the undead elf's skin. "Clean," the gargoyle said simply. "Put him to bed." He waved and waddled off.

"Let me worry about him," Nivaeus said softly. The Swarmling placed a hand on Ginny-Li's shoulder and eased Rider into his arms so his friend could lie down. Nivaeus shifted Rider to one arm as he pulled out a mat. The giant made sure to leave plenty of room all around Rider for Fright to nestle in where ever he wanted. The ostrich was so close to Nivaeus that the giant actually stepped on him when he tried to back up. The high-pitched scream from the undead ostrich made the giant nearly leap out of his skin. Fright hissed at Nivaeus then carefully strutted around him before he made a big fuss about roosting next to Rider. He placed his chin right on the elf's armored chest. Nivaeus left them like that and turned to watch the group. They had to be close to freeing Timber, the sun certainly would be up soon and those still in the mindscape had to be well past exhaustion.

"Got another one," a gargoyle called as he tried to pry Pop Fizz's hand from Seraphina's ankle.  
"No!" the gremlin protested. "Not until I know she's okay, until I know they're all okay!"  
"You looked ready to die a moment ago!" the gargoyle growled back. "We nearly pulled you out if not for the Soothsayer holding you in place!"  
"Leave him," Nivaeus said as he sat down next to Pop Fizz. "I've got this."  
The gremlin turned tired eyes to Nivaeus. "Thanks."  
Nivaeus nodded, he knew it wouldn't be long before Pop Fizz was fast asleep. Then he could be moved. "How was your first trip?" Nivaeus asked.  
"Trip indeed," Pop Fizz snorted. "I think I'll stick to potions that mess with my head, at least that's not _real_."  
The giant made a face but kept his response to himself.

* * *

Author's notes and frequently asked questions can be found in the "Odyssey" forums. The link is in my profile.


	41. The Veil is Lifted

**The Veil is Lifted**

"What did you do to Rider?" Hex said as she grabbed Seraphina by the arm. "Where is he?"  
Hex had moved up so quickly on the priestess that she had jumped from the surprise. "Safe," Seraphina said as she placed her other hand gently on Hex's.  
Hex's expression twitched to relief then back to her normal stoic set. "Are you alright?"  
"I will be. One last attempt, no more playing around. I have to break him."  
Hex released Seraphina's arm only to ball her fingers into a fist, "I might beat you to the punch."

Stealth rolled with the swat from Timber's massive hand. It stung but nowhere near as bad if she hadn't of rolled.  
"On your feet," Double Trouble said as he offered the elf a hand.  
Stealth tried to wave him off but stumbled and wound up clutching his staff. She refused to let on how drained she was feeling. She knew her movements were sluggish, less than perfect. "Thank you," she murmured. "Pop Fizz?"  
"Back safely in Uzern," the tiki man replied.  
"Ma chère," Flameslinger said as he skid to a stop near the duo, "Are you well?" Flameslinger _always_ seemed to be full of energy and it annoyed Stealth to no ends at times.  
"Fighting for my life then fighting off help when I had lost myself took a lot out of me. Hex is the same, she sways where she stands," Stealth nodded her head towards the sorceress.  
"Sit this one out Stealth," Double Trouble said gently. "Flame, watch her."  
"It would be my pleasure," the archer grinned.  
The other elf grunted as she lowered herself to a seated position. Should she be sitting? She really didn't care; all she wanted was to be around for the end.

"Gnat!" Timber growled at Spyro. The dragon kept flying around him and alternating between fire and ice, he had realized that ice kept Timber from breaking into his mist form and used it right after burning his flesh. Spyro couldn't keep it up for long; just like the others he had been feeling weary for a while. The dragon's wings ached; he had put them through so much. But he couldn't give up.  
_Spyro, leave it to me_, Seraphina's voice said suddenly.  
Spyro glanced around; he saw only Double Trouble, Stealth, Flameslinger and Hex. Their party was shrinking rapidly now. The end had to be near, it just had to. Spyro didn't want to leave Seraphina unprotected but he felt compelled to listen to her and landed near the others.  
Double Trouble had just cast and sent three clones out when Hex and Spyro moved in to join the remaining Cores. "We are fading fast," the tiki man murmured.  
"Speak for yourself," Hex sniffed.

"Is that why you brought so many with you? So you could leech off them like a parasite?" Timber asked Seraphina. He was wounded from acid, fire arrows as well as fireballs and biting ice. He too was growing tired and the constant changing of forms used up much of his energy.  
"I am not the parasite."  
Timber rolled his eyes, "You want to go back to the moral posturing and talking? Fine. I think I know how to get through to you." Timber changed his form one last time, he had no more strength to do much of anything but a smaller form was easier to maintain than a larger form.  
Seraphina's eyes widened and her nostrils flared, Timber had just crossed the line. "You foul…"  
"I should have done this earlier," Timber said smoothly in a voice that didn't belong to him. He inhaled deeply and stood tall, his skin suddenly a perfect golden color and his hair like white gold of two lengths, longer in the front than in the back. He was dressed in fine silks and the emblem on the collar of his jacket was of six golden wings tipped in crimson. He had taken the form of Kaelin Alistair, the one person in all of Skylands that Seraphina wanted to find more than anyone.

"Is something the matter, my love?" the false Kaelin said as he spread his arms wide.  
"The vile demon!" Hex roared as she surged forward. Double Trouble's three clones hobbled in to hold her back.  
"What is the matter?" Flameslinger asked in surprise, "Who is this that Timber has become?"  
"Someone picked out of Meilyr's mind. His name is Kaelin," Stealth replied. "Timber's depravity knows no bounds." Stealth lowered her head into her hands and sighed deeply. "Stop him, just… stop him."  
Spyro cocked his head to the side and stepped out lightly in front of everyone else. "We're done here," he said.  
"What do you mean done?" Flameslinger scowled. He held a hand out to Timber, "I am still seeing our foe. He looks very much not beaten to me."

Hex nearly tried to push past the babbling copies of Double Trouble but took a step back and groaned instead. She rubbed her temples, "Curse these thoughts and feelings that belong to someone else!" she said bitterly.  
"When we were a part of Timber all four of us shared memories and thoughts. Sometimes it confused us," Stealth explained when she saw the looks the other three gave each other. "I have never met him but I feel I know Kaelin, I feel I've known Seraphina since childhood. This whole thing is still messing with my head. I think I am myself, Timber, Hex, Cynder and Meilyr all at once. I can't wait to get out of here."  
Flameslinger sat down next to Stealth and gently took one of her hands in his. "Why did you not say something sooner, ma chère?"  
"How do you explain something like that?" the elf said as she rested her head on Flameslinger's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "For everything dealing with the cage I put you in."  
Flameslinger glanced up to make sure no one was staring before he squeezed her hand and kissed the top of Stealth's head. "I have already forgiven you," he murmured softly. Stealth's soft smile was hidden behind her mask but Flameslinger didn't miss the return squeeze to his hand. He felt elation at the fact she had _finally_ stopped fighting him but couldn't help wondering if her new softer side would remain once they were back in Skylands proper.

"Why, you look as if you have seen a ghost," Timber in the form of Kaelin chuckled with the sound that Seraphina loved to hear.  
The priestess backed up, she was half tempted to erect a barrier to keep the rest of the Skylanders from interfering but something told her they understood and would keep their distance. The longer Timber was allowed to continue with his ruse the higher the chance that it would work. But Seraphina had a plan and she knew she was flirting with danger as she put it into motion. "You are a Riderling," she said as she let herself transform back into a Hexling of standard fare. She now looked identical to the sorceress that paced on the side lines. Seraphina looked confused as she spoke again, "How did you break the curse?"  
"I can show you," the false Kaelin's face lit up. He had taken the bait. Now it would get even more dangerous for Seraphina. "Come with me," he said softly as he extended a hand.  
Seraphina slid hers into it without hesitation, her mind recoiled from the act but she put a soft smile on her face regardless.

Timber drew the priestess up against him; he knew how to act thanks to the memories of Meilyr's skulking about in the palace. The prince's personal guard had witnessed many interactions between the two on their walks around the halls. Timber looked into the Hexling's eyes and smiled as he gently thumbed her cheek the way Kaelin would. "You are so beautiful, my little angel," he purred softly. Seraphina very nearly melted in his arms; she was so easy to break down with the right sort of weapon.  
Seraphina planted a hand on the false Kaelin's chest, right over his heart. "I have been thinking of how to end the curse myself," she said softly before she looked into his eyes with a smile. "It is quite simple really. The right sort of alteration to the present state of things can make a world of difference."  
"How would that change anything?" the false Kaelin asked in confusion.  
"I can show you," Seraphina grinned sweetly.

"Par la lumière!" Flameslinger gasped with a flinch when he saw Seraphina draw her right hand back then plunge a hunting knife she had taken out of thin air into the chest of the nature spirit that wore the face of her lover. The archer and Stealth had risen to their feet with the attack and remained standing shoulder to shoulder. Stealth had hidden her eyes in Flameslinger's shoulder and trembled lightly. Meilyr's influence made her recoil from the sight as if it were really happening as it looked.  
Spyro too flinched and Hex stood there with her mouth gaping, even she wasn't sure she could manage to attack a beloved ghost from her past so easily.  
"Remarkable," was all Double Trouble could manage. "Look at what she is doing, ingenious!"

Seraphina had twisted the knife and was pulling it across the false Kaelin's chest towards her left. As she dragged the dagger the figure began to separate into two. Before long the part of the false Kaelin that looked more shocked than anything else tried to pull away from the enraged part that was alternating between clawing at the dagger Seraphina held and his other half.  
"What are you doing?" the enraged half howled at Seraphina.  
"Making you stand beside yourself for a reality check," she grunted and nearly stumbled when the two parts came apart very rapidly. The other side of Timber, the one completely confused by events, melted into a vaguely elven form without hair, ears or any facial features besides eyes and a mouth. He was colored a rich green.  
Likewise the other half had melted into a black form with only eyes and a mouth in the way of features. "How dare you!" the newly separated ego hissed as he tried to grab Seraphina by the neck. She very easily avoided his attempts and the ego howled in rage.

"He is impotent now, Timber!" Seraphina said to the other half that stood behind her dumbfounded. "You do not have to do what he says any longer. _You_ are the stronger one!"  
The green Timber, his true self, ran a hand over his bald head and turned sad eyes back on the others. He caught the eyes of Hex and Stealth in particular, "Forgive me," he said as he reached out towards them. Hex recoiled and Flameslinger put himself between the nature spirit and Stealth. The other elf placed her hand on Flameslinger's shoulder and peered around him.  
"See, they don't want anything to do with you!" the ego called. "Let me back in and we can _make_ them understand!"  
Seraphina kept stepping in the way of the ego, she brandished the knife still and the ego feared being cut apart again. "You have no place here now," she told the black shadow creature.  
"I had everything!" the ego howled. "Timber, you need me!" he called desperately to his other half.

Timber looked at the Cores a moment longer before he turned to face Seraphina and his other half.  
"This is your battle now, Timber," Seraphina said. "I will release him when you ask it of me."  
Timber nodded, "Do it."  
The Hexling altered herself back to her original self as she stepped to the side and the shadow creature ran past her with outstretched arms towards Timber.  
The nature spirit shifted his feet apart and lifted his right arm in preparation of a punch. He let it go when his ego was close enough to take it in the jaw. The shadow creature's head snapped back and his feet came out from under him before he landed hard on his back.  
The ego turned large, terrified eyes up to Timber as he gasped for air. "Why do you reject me?"  
Timber walked up to his ego, the creature tried to crawl backwards in terror. "I will not let fear rule me anymore! I do not need to oppress others to live comfortably!" He picked up a foot and stomped on what should have been the knee joint of his ego. Instead his foot hit the ground with a thump and his ego was nothing more than his own shadow cast across the ground. Timber blinked in confusion and took a few steps forward then to the side, his shadow followed him but did nothing else. The eyes and mouth were gone; as Timber turned to the side his shadow remained stretched out in the same direction and only altered to pose as he was.

"That's it?" Timber asked Seraphina. He was still tense; he wasn't ready to believe it yet.  
"That is it," the psionic sighed deeply as she pulled the staff she had discarded out of thin air. She leaned on it heavily with a weak smile. "After everything we have been through is that not enough for you?"  
"I, I suppose it is," Timber sighed. He was expecting more, had been prepared for more. But deep down he was glad it had been that simple. Everything that led up to it was anything but. "Light, I am so sorry," he said with sad eyes. "Your friends, their minds are all confused. My own is too. I have memories that don't belong to me."  
"They will pass in time," the priestess replied as her hands slipped further down her staff and she leaned forward more. She wasn't even aware of Hex and Double Trouble coming to support her. "The extra memories everyone has will fade away unless they continue to dredge them up. I am sending everyone back now. I do not have the strength to continue."

One by one the remaining Skylanders were returned to Uzern. They drowsily moved away from where they had been sitting all night and were met by gargoyle watchers that led them to mats to rest on.  
"He is free," Seraphina said when the Swarmling Nivaeus knelt down by her. "I need to rest. So ti-" she never got to finish. With a quick flash of light the Hexling was gone, sent back to Earth to rest after exhaustion defeated her. It had been an act of will that kept her active as long as she had been. The only thing she left behind was the torn priestess robe she had been wearing, her staff and jewelry. Nivaeus wasted no time in gathering the items for her return. That was the nature of the curse, whatever cabinet or closet held her Hexling clothing was suddenly devoid of it so she could return to Skylands wearing it.  
Nivaeus looked to Timber when he realized the ent was watching him quietly. "I'll get you free," he promised as he stood and moved to slice vines with the blades stuffed in the backs of his gauntlets.  
Timber took Nivaeus by a foot when his hand was free, "If they wake before I do please pass along my deepest apologies." He released Nivaeus's foot when the Swarmling nodded at him.

Morning in Uzern was darker than outside the forest. The sunlight had to work harder to get through the canopy of trees and reach the ancient elven city. The items that were to help light reach it had long ago fallen from their perches or become overgrown. The palace plaza was silent save for the snores. A multitude of persons ranging from Skylanders to gargoyles and one lone military commander lay out on mats made of vines and grass. The last of the Skylanders that had been tainted by the poison from the Shadow Clan gargoyles Surpin and Shalu'Bane had been set free. The final one to be set free, Steek the Ignitorling, had only just retired before the sun rose. He had been warily watched by the gargoyles as he dragged his feet back to the others to find rest. It had been a shock to learn that Steek was a flame demon before his transformation; it caused an instant distrust of him for the gargoyles. After all, demons weren't known for their virtues much. With everyone freed the palace plaza finally settled into the silence normally associated with night; save for the song birds that had arrived with the dawn. The gargoyle psionics were just as exhausted as the Skylanders themselves, the plaza would most likely be quiet until late morning or early afternoon.

In Meir Valan Teranika was getting herself reacquainted with home and things she had missed. Word had come from Haven about what had happened in Uzern and the lady was worried about the impact it could all have on the Skylanders.  
"You can either come with me to Haven or stay here," Teranika told Morwen as she put her boots on. The Stealthling was finally dressed in more familiar and comfortable clothing. Stealth's form was very similar to her own so there was no need to alter anything from her closet before it could be worn. Teranika had always been a dress wearer but when she joined the Skylanders her wardrobe expanded to include trousers as well. Teranika wasn't into the combat aspects of the group but she had made for an able scout and infiltrator. Now she was very capable in combat, the curse had given her years of knowledge in the art of stealth instantly.  
"You just got in last night," Morwen said sadly. The dark haired eirian watched her sister dash around her bedchamber to gather up other items she needed. "They will come back here when they have finished. You said it yourself, they are Skylanders and this is how things go!"  
Teranika paused in the act of picking up her belt pouch. "Morwen, they are our cousins as well! And my team mates, I want to be there when they come out."  
"What if they do not come back, what if we lose them? I do not want to lose you too!"

Teranika's arms fell to her sides and her head dropped to her chest. As a Skylander Teranika had always looked at things with hope; hope that it would all work out and hope that she would see those she loved again. Morwen saw it from the other side, all her sister saw was loss and despair along with the unknown.  
"Mother and Father should be arriving sometime today."  
"Then I will be back in time to see them! Allow me to go check on our cousins and friends, Morwen. If I am not allowed inside Uzern and Haven has no word for me then I will return. I have to do something though. I cannot simply wait around for news. I feel better knowing I am making an effort."

"Amara wanted us to visit the markets with her this morning."  
"Then I will personally apologize to her for missing it. And perhaps we can still go if things go in such a way that there is nothing to learn in the country of Atlee."  
"You plan to visit more than just Uzern and Haven?" Morwen asked in alarm.  
"Maybe the Wolf Clan, their psionics are involved after all."  
"Tera!" Morwen exclaimed with a pained look on her face, "You did not used to be all adventure and action. I remember you sitting here alongside Amara and I postulating on what the others might be doing while Aelwen did nothing but snort and make snide remarks about how 'that is no kind of task for anyone of royal blood to take up.' What happened?" Morwen had done her best impression of Aelwen when she spoke of her and had even drawn herself up tall to look down her nose during it. "The imagining of grand adventures and wild escapades was always so much fun for us. Now I hear about your close calls and the terror. I liked it better when we only heard stories, not seeing you _live_ through them."

Teranika very nearly opened her mouth to ask about their cousins living through the adventures but realized she would turn it into an argument if she did. Instead her shoulders slumped and she sighed as she walked up to her sister. "I will return as soon as I can. I think Master Sean himself is going to be arriving here in Meir Valan today. He wanted to see the kingdom and be here when Seraphina meets Kaelin. I will be here to give him a proper welcome as well. Mother and Father will wish to speak to him as well."  
Morwen's whole demeanor changed instantly, "A Portal Master, here? Have you told Uncle and Auntie yet?"  
Inwardly Teranika smiled, she turned her sister's mood around quite easily. "As a matter of fact I have not, I was so happy to see everyone last night that the thought slipped my mind." She waved her hand in a manner to show how excited she had been to be home.  
"Well they must know! Master Sean is nothing if not a celebrity around here! He found two of the royal children and has done nothing but work with the king and queen. They have to know!"  
Morwen turned on her heel so quickly and dashed out that Teranika couldn't help but laugh. "Oh Morwen, I do envy your easier lifestyle so. I had thought at one time that adventuring was my calling but it can get very stressful at times. It is good to come home and slide back into things so easily." Teranika took a moment more to gather her things then set out to speak to the king and queen herself about her plans.

"Do not move," a voice said firmly to Ghost Roaster. When the Skylander awoke he found a sword under his chin and two separate archers trained on him. The ghoul had done as he said, returned to the island city of Haven and tucked himself away in a clearing to rest for the night. He wasn't expecting to awaken to elves with weapons drawn in the mid-morning sun.  
"Good morning?" Ghost Roaster said nervously.  
The elf with the sword drawn was female, her two companions male. "You are a Skylander?" the swordswoman asked. She was a beautiful creature with pale green hair cut short to frame her bronze face perfectly. She was dressed in light weight leather armor branded with the six wings of the king and another symbol, a bow and sword crossed, that Ghost Roaster didn't know the meaning of.  
"I am," Ghost Roaster answered. "You have me at something of a disadvantage," he said as he thumbed the blade. She was standing, he was not.

"What is your name?" the elf asked as she forced the ghoul's head up.  
"Traditionally Olav, but I go by Ghost Roaster now." The archers exchanged looks and nods to one another.  
The swordswoman narrowed her eyes, "You are the one the queen is expecting. What are you doing out here?"  
"I left with Grandmaster Eon, to meet with my Portal Master. When I returned the hour was late, I-I did not want to give a fright to the innkeepers of Haven! So I found a place out here to bed down for the rest of the night."  
"He is telling the truth, Aeron," one of the archers spoke up. He was a champagne skinned eirian with copper hair. "The mages felt the presence of a portal here in the night that bore the signature of the Earth-bound Portal Masters. Their magic has a different feel than Skylands magic."  
Aeron's face smoothed suddenly and she pulled her blade back before she sheathed it. "Very well, Olav of the Skylanders. We will escort you to the queen's audience hall to wait for the return of High Prime Uriel."  
The ghoul sighed and pulled himself upright as the archers lowered their bows. "You don't look like city guards, who are you?"

"Rangers in the service of King Kaelin," Aeron replied as she turned her back on him. "We hold the most authority here, beyond the walls of the city. You will be transferred to the palace guards for an escort once we reach that point." Aeron lead Ghost Roaster around a cluster of shrubs and back to the mounts she and the archers rode. Three trekkers stood still with their reptilian heads held tall as they waited for the return of their riders. Aeron whispered something into the ear of her deep red bull and pulled something out of a pouch on her belt before she held her cupped hand up to him. The animals hadn't even been restrained, they simply stayed put on command.  
Ghost Roaster looked at the lizards and their riders, he felt very small suddenly next to them. "How far are we from the city?"  
"Surprisingly close," Aeron replied as she clicked her tongue and her trekker began to move.

Aeron hadn't been lying when she said they were close. Once out of the small copse of trees the natural stone walls of the city became visible. Caravans were moving towards the docks for trade just as often as they moved into the city. Ghost Roaster was amazed by the fact the rumble of the carts hadn't awoken him sooner. Any elves that happened to look his way held their gazes there with mixed expressions. Some were surprised, others curious and there were the ones that looked upon him with open disdain and distrust.  
"Step lively now," Aeron said as she increased her pace. The archers followed her lead and Ghost Roaster glided faster to keep up with them.  
The feeling of apprehension returned as the ghoul neared the city. He had never delivered the news before of a loss; he wasn't sure how to do it. _Fine kettle of fish I've gotten myself into_, Ghost Roster sighed to himself.

The air was deliciously warm and fresh in Haven. Sprocket stretched out wide as she stepped into the street in front of the inn she had stayed at. The eirian elves that passed by gave her friendly waves and greetings that she returned happily. She saw a few Skylanders in the area and didn't think much of it until she saw herself walk by. "Copies," the tech element muttered to herself.  
"When the subject said she liked to sleep in this unit was not thinking it would be _this_ late."  
Sprocket forgot about the copies and laughed as she turned to face the Skylander that had most likely been waiting for her to emerge for hours now. "Hey, when given the chance to sleep in you should take it, Dro."  
"Negative," the tech dragon said with the shake of his head. "There is too much to see, too many machines to take apart and study to waste time with a sleep cycle. One of these days I _will_ invent a method of restoring one's self without sleep cycles."  
The golding shook her head, "I love tinkering and building new things as much as the next person but you gotta draw the line somewhere, Dro. And that's stepping on the toes of the magic guys."  
"The subject's statement is true now," the dragon replied with a strange smirk, "When this unit does it though the subject will be just as eager as the others to try it. And this unit is confident that magic will not play any part in the end product."

"Never said I wouldn't try it," Sprocket waved a finger at him, "just said it _might_ be going too far. I rather like going to sleep and letting the world go on without my awareness of its happenings. And drop the 'unit' and 'subject' lines, please. That may impress the others but I like to hear the real Drobot speaking." Sprocket skipped down the two steps that lead up to the inn and fell in step with the dragon's longer strides. "Since you were so patient while you waited for me I'll give you first pick on what to see."  
"The ships," Drobot said excitedly, "I want to study their power source. Non-combustion engines that use a renewable, self-contained fuel source!" Even with his voice modulator in place the excitement managed to creep through in his tone.  
Sprocket smirked, letting him choose first still got her to what she wanted to see. Drobot was so predictable but then again Sprocket was fairly certain she was as well. "You had breakfast yet?"  
Drobot stopped dead in his tracks. "You have not eaten?" he said flatly at the thought of another delay.  
Sprocket gave a wave, "The inn had breakfast. Elves are weird when it comes to breakfast. Sweet bread, fruits, honeyed milk and a little bit of cheese. No meat whatsoever, not even eggs!" she said in amazement.  
Drobot nodded, he had already figured that out and had turned to hunting for his breakfast. He had a belly full of fresh rabbit that was accompanied well by the elven cheese with just a little bit of sweet bread. Drobot had a terrible sweet tooth so a little bit of sweet bread to him meant only one whole loaf as opposed to the three or more that he actually wanted.

The market district was fairly close to the main gates of the city and at that hour it was packed with criers and permanent stalls stuffed to the brim with wares ranging from jewelry and clothing to weapons and armor with farmers' carts on the side. Elves milled about from all classes, while they all dressed in colorful clothing the more embroidery an individual sported the higher up they were in social standing. Even fine silks didn't always mean a wealthy individual, not unless they had flair to the garment at least. The copies were present as well, they were clustered in groups and pointed off in different directions before stopping residents to speak briefly. Sprocket wasn't sure what it meant but she just knew it wasn't right. Her pace slowed as she tried to catch a snip-it of conversation. The markets were far too noisy and the golding gave up after a while. She was just going to have to ask someone if she wanted to know. Maybe later, she had plans at the moment.

"Would your friend care to try our new blend of oil for moving parts?" a hematite skinned merchant called to Sprocket. "Clean, guaranteed to not gunk up gears and long lasting."  
Sprocket stopped to study the bottle the elf held up. "May I?" she asked. When the merchant handed it over she dipped a finger in before she sniffed it then tasted it. If possible the dark skinned elf went pale; the display had obviously turned his stomach. Sprocket put the lid back on and handed it back. "I didn't think Tour was rich in oil."  
"Oh no, it is not," the merchant said as he shook his head. "We import it crude from some of the best producers and refine it here while adding our own flair. Mind you that in our standards the 'best producers' means the most environmentally friendly methods. No troll oil here."

"Sprocket, are you coming?" Drobot asked from several stalls ahead of the golding.  
"Give me a bottle," Sprocket said quickly. "I want to see how your oil stands up to some of the custom blends I make." She pulled up her coin purse and made a quick bargaining round before she left feeling pleased with what she had paid. It turned out the merchant was just as curious about her blends and reduced the price if she would give him a sample. If they could learn something from one another then Sprocket would be happy.  
"Most females of any species buy more shoes than they have feet or even days of the week to wear and shiny baubles. Not this particular subject apparently."  
Sprocket shook the bottle in Drobot's face. "I got us something to study and breakdown into its components." She smirked when the familiar light of eagerness bloomed on the tech dragon's face. "Now how about we-" Sprocket went silent suddenly and stared off past Drobot.  
"Has something alarming occurred?" the dragon asked as he swiveled his neck around. "Negative, something _embarrassing_ has occurred."

Trigger Happy ran through the market giggling like a madman with a young elf in a work apron chasing him while he shook a fist furiously. "You cannot expect us to accept the coins _shot_ as us as payment!" the elf cried.  
"Oh no," Sprocket moaned as she hid her face in her hands. Her gold skin took on the barest hint of rose. Why couldn't it have been one of the copies? She could have slipped away and ignored it then. But that laugh told her it was the real Trigger Happy.  
Drobot trot out quickly and snapped his head forward before his jaws took Trigger Happy by the scruff of his neck and lift the whining gremlin up off the ground. Trigger Happy pouted and put his guns away in a manner that shouldn't have been possible, it looked like he had just stuffed them into pockets inside his fur.  
The eirian elf skid to a stop in front of the dragon that was a head taller than him and blinked. "He knocked my master out," the elf now known to be an apprentice said as he pointed to the gremlin. His eyes never left Drobot however. "With coins from his pistols."  
"I'm terribly sorry," Sprocket said as she came up beside Drobot and the dangling Trigger Happy. "Is there anything we can do to make it up?"

"I, uh, just get that troublesome gremlin out of here," the apprentice said as he gained more confidence. "He did not even wait for us to give him the items he purchased before he opened fire in the store and sent coins spraying every which way! It scared out several patrons!"  
"What were you trying to buy?" Sprocket asked Trigger Happy with obvious curiosity and surprise.  
The gremlin gave her a dark look as he swayed slightly in Drobot's jaws. "Throwing knives, to see if I could combine them with Pop Fizz's pack for something new in my arsenal!"  
Drobot snorted and dropped the gremlin, Trigger Happy squeaked in pain when he hit the paving stones. "Trigger Happy does not need sharp objects. Trigger Happy is barely trusted with the blunt ones that he fires on a whim."  
"Yeah well Trigger Happy wants them. Trigger Happy wants to better Trigger Happy's skills," the gremlin copied Drobot's tone. Granted he squeaked more often than not so he sounded nothing like Drobot.  
"Take them and stay away from our store!" the apprentice said as he tossed a package wrapped in brown paper and twine at the smaller gremlin's feet.

Trigger Happy giggled in glee as he made himself comfortable in the middle of the road and opened up his package. He paid no mind to the profuse apologies Sprocket and Drobot were making on his behalf as the apprentice returned to the store. He picked one of the fine steel blades up and admired it; he could learn to throw them no sweat! The little orange fur ball looked around the market street with his tongue lolling out; there really wasn't a good place to test them on. Reluctantly he wrapped the knives back up and stuffed them into the mysterious pockets he had in his fur. The smile faded from his face a moment later. "Hey, hey guys look," he said softly.  
Sprocket followed the gremlin's pointing finger and saw Ghost Roaster following a small mounted party of elves through the streets. He wasn't chained to them but he was in a pace that would count as a run if he had legs just so he could keep up with the longer stride of the reptile mounts. "Is he in trouble again?" the golding asked.  
Drobot nuzzled Sprocket in the arm, "Sprocket should not blame herself for events in Uzern," Drobot said with his voice modulator dialed down. He almost lacked the mechanical aspect that all the Skylanders had grown accustomed to. If Sprocket heard the difference she didn't show it, Trigger Happy however looked surprised to hear a more natural sound from the armor plated dragon.

"There's nothing we can do now anyway," Sprocket said as she tore her eyes from the spectacle. "Come on, I want to see the ships now more than ever. They'll get my mind off things." The golding shook her head as she turned to walk the direction opposite the one Ghost Roster had gone.  
Trigger Happy's ears twitched and seemed to droop the slightest amount before he fell in step with Sprocket and gave Drobot a look as if to ask if he was coming.  
Drobot watched Ghost Roaster for a while longer then turned to follow the other two tech Skylanders. As excited as he was to get up close and personal with the elven technology he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for the events of the previous night. It was silly and Drobot knew it, yet he also knew that everyone seemed to share the feeling. Ghost Roster was one of them after all, what affected one affected all. Drobot looked back again but Ghost Roaster and the mounted elves had vanished into the warren of market stalls and other mounts that crisscrossed the lanes.  
"Coming, Dro?" Sprocket's voice interrupted the dragon's thoughts.  
"Affirmative." He hadn't even realized that he had stopped walking again.

Commander Roghallach awoke to the sounds of birds singing. He had been on marches enough times to know that if the birds were singing that loudly and in that number of different individuals then he had slept longer than he should have. He was reminded when his eyes opened that he was not on a march. The elf went straight for his boots; he could put his armor on later. Rather he was more intent on checking the progress with the Skylanders enthralled by the two Shadow gargoyles. The plaza was empty where the ensnared individuals had been. The commander's head whipped back around to see the area he had bedded down in was filled with Skylanders of all walks. He began to do a mental checklist, three Fizzlings. Well two and the original, two Ignitorlings, a Flashwingling, the Voodoodling and two Hexlings. No, one Hexling and the original. Roghallach turned back around to look at where the gargoyles had bedded down, only their numbers were present. The eirian looked back to the two sorceresses, the original and one dressed in leather. Where was Seraphina? She was the missing figure, every other Skylander be them of his kingdom or not was accounted for. Wait, Nivaeus was missing. The Swarmling might simply be out with the princess; that helped ease Roghallach's mind a little.

Roghallach turned quickly at the sound of someone stirring behind him. Camo lifted his head and gave a tremendous yawn before he stretched. The plant and dragon hybrid did the same thing Roghallach had and did a mental checklist of everyone in the area. His gaze settled on Roghallach and his smile dropped off before he cocked his head to the side. "Where is Princess Seraphina?"  
The eirian ran a hand through his shock of orange-red hair. "I do not know nor do I know who to ask. But the Swarming is missing as well."  
Camo rose to his feet and looked back over the slumbering figures. "Maybe they went for a walk? Or she pushed herself to the point of defeat and was sent back to Earth?"  
"I certainly hope so," the Commander's tone said he wasn't satisfied with postulation.  
The hybrid stretched again before he moved away from the group. "Hey, uh, they ever say where the bathrooms were?"

Between Commander Roghallach's foraging and Camo's cultivating food was provided for the other individuals as they awoke. Crevan was the third awake and found himself the butt of one of Camo's pranks when a watermelon exploded the moment he touched it. The leafy dragon was in stitches as the Fizzling simply sat there with sticky fruit juice and black seeds in his fur.  
"Some individuals have no respect," Wraith scowled. The Hot Headling wasn't quite ready to be up yet but Camo's howling laughter wasn't going to let him go back to sleep.  
"Suddenly I am not all that hungry," Crevan muttered as he picked bits of fruit from his shaggy blue fur. "Is there running water anywhere in the city?"  
"The palace," Wraith replied as he rubbed his eyes. He glared hard at Camo as he reached out for a piece of fruit himself, "If this explodes _boy _then roast dragon might be on the menu this morning."  
"Ah-heh," Camo said nervously. He watched Wraith's every move and sighed in relief when the giant took one of the items he hadn't set ready to explode.

Roghallach wisely decided to only partake of the berries and tree fruits he had managed to find and watched Camo carefully as he ate. The commander thought that he had picked out the exploding fruits by the way Camo avoided certain ones. He made a mental note of each so he could share the information as others awoke. Roghallach took a bite of something that resembled a pear as he looked over his shoulder to the gargoyles then other dragons, fruit would hardly satisfy them but the commander hadn't the tools needed to bring down an animal. With a shrug he decided if they wanted something more to their tastes then it would be up to them to find it. The elf surged to his feet the moment he saw the form of the Swarmling dart in on glimmering wings and deposit a hefty catch of smaller forest animals. "Princess Seraphina is not with you?"  
Nivaeus shook his head and ran a forearm across his forehead, "No, she's not with me."  
"When did you notice she was gone, why didn't you alert any of us?" Wraith beat Roghallach to the question.

"If you would let me continue," the Swarmling said testily, "she went back to Earth following exhaustion."  
Wraith narrowed his eyes at the younger individual but nodded in reply. "And the others?"  
"Varying states of exhaustion. Princess Eloryn, Niall and Rider all gifted Seraphina some of their own energy. The psionics don't want any of them roused before they are ready." Nivaeus motioned to the catch, "Help yourself. In this form I can't stomach anything other than fruits or sweets." The giant made a face as if his current dietary limitations were unfavorable to what he knew as a gargoyle.  
"Everything tastes like charcoal to me," the fire golem said with a dismissive wave.

As morning turned into noon more and more of the Skylanders awoke. No potions were administered to speed the process, they were simply allowed the time to awaken on their own. Cynder had pulled herself away from the group and when Spyro finally found her he was lost on how to comfort her. She had tucked herself away in what had either been the work area of a blacksmith or an open alchemy lab. Sometimes they looked the same, at least to Spyro. He didn't have to say a thing to know the dark dragon was distraught over the events in the mindscape and it only made past memories resurface for the both of them.  
"What does it say, Spyro that he picked me to... possess? I was once Malefor's most trusted tool and now I find myself used again."  
Spyro's mouth opened then closed. He thought a moment longer about what he wanted to say. "Timber must have seen you as the strongest of the group."  
Cynder snorted and turned a look of disbelief on him, "Really? Hex has the same reputation for power. No, it's because I'm weak. I've always been afraid it would happen again and it did."  
"You are _not_ weak," Spyro growled. "You don't become a Skylander because you're weak. You don't survive what _we_ went through before we came to Skylands by being weak."

Cynder shook her head and her eyes took a faraway look, "It's like back then all over again. When I first came back into the light, after you set me free. I didn't feel like I belonged with you and the elemental guardians. Sparx sure didn't hesitate to speak his mind."  
Spyro flinched, "Yeah well Sparx always did have a big mouth for a dragonfly. He liked to shoot it off a lot too. He kept insisting I was fat when we were younger. I should reach out and see how he is back home…" Spyro trailed off when Cynder stood up silently and sulked off. "Cynder…"  
"There are still those among the Skylanders that don't trust me. This is going to further their skepticism. Leave me be for a while, Spyro," she replied as she continued to walk. "I have a lot to think about, with the memories and thoughts of others floating around in my head it made me stand aside and look at myself."  
Spyro took a few steps to follow her then stopped. "Seraphina said they will fade in time if you stop thinking about them."  
The dark dragon looked over her shoulder, "You try not to think about an event powerful enough to change who you are."

"You're still my Cynder, you're still the beautiful dragon I've given my heart too; that I've laid down my life for."  
"I don't feel like me right now," she sighed. At least she had stopped walking. "Look, Spyro. I just need some time. Psionics are dangerous; if Timber did what he put us through and he wasn't a psionic then I never want to come up against one. When she returns to Skylands and isn't busy I want to see Seraphina. Have Hex send for me when the time comes. Let the others know where I went."  
"Where are you going?" Spyro asked. He bolted after Cynder then in panic, he didn't want her to go. The purple dragon growled when a flash of light removed Cynder from his presence. He couldn't follow her back to Earth, at least not into her Portal Master's domain. Spyro's head dropped and he stared at his claws, light he was still tired. If it hadn't been for Camo and his pranks the purple dragon wouldn't even be up yet. With a sigh he turned around and dragged his claws as he returned to the palace plaza and a waiting mat to finish resting.


	42. Normalcy

**Normalcy**

Teranika hadn't been able to hail Sean to open a portal to Haven. Not one to let that set her back the Stealthling had instead hired the services of a ship that was set to pull to port in Haven for an opportunity to trade. Granted it was slower and Teranika had become spoiled by the instantaneous nature of portals but she was at least making progress. It was just after noon when the Stealthling set foot in the kingdom that would soon be aligned by blood with the one she lived in. Right from the get go she realized something was amiss. There were a lot of Skylanders about; _a lot_. The normal residents of Haven seemed to be having trouble going about their business. Dock hands more often than not stood by crates with their arms folded as they waited for Skylanders to pass.

"Excuse me," Teranika said to the nearest dock worker, "can you tell me what has drawn so many Skylanders?" She felt bad; to him she was just another tourist slowing down his work.  
The dock hand continued to coil rope and looked at her like she was crazy, he was probably hung up on the fact she herself was a Skylander without knowledge of why the others were there. "Word about Uzern got out," he said simply. "Is that not why you are here?" He dropped the coil he had just made and moved on to check the crates strapped to a cart that had no beast of burden to pull it yet.  
"I call Meir Valan home, I have extended family here," she felt she needed to defend herself for some reason. Teranika looked over the crates herself, not that she cared what was in them but it was something to do other than stare at the worker.  
"And you know nothing?" now the worker was shocked.  
"No, I do. My cousins were a part of it but what is this?"  
"Some of those Cores talk when they would be better silent. They are here to see the fate of Ghost Roaster." The worker turned back around and barked a few orders at others that had just dropped a crate and spilled its contents. Some were dangerously close to the edge of the island and the open sky beyond.  
Teranika groaned, well so much for getting into the palace easily. Every Skylander present would be trying to muscle their way in on fame alone. Morwen should have come with her; Teranika would have been assured entry with a recognizable face.

"Wait, cousins? From Meir Valan and they were involved in the events of Uzern?" recognition was dawning on the dock worker's face. "You are related to the ruling family of Meir Valan?"  
"Daughter of the queen's sister," Teranika said dismissively. Now she wanted to separate herself from the worker before he held her up with questions or any other ploys to slow her. "I am sorry but I must be off, thank you for your assistance." Teranika dipped into a short bow then bustled off, she would think on the way to the palace. If she could hire a cart the trip would go quicker but it looked like that feat might be a mission impossible. It didn't make sense to her; Ghost Roaster's so called fate had already been decided. The Skylanders weren't going to get a show. The story must have been exaggerated. Idly Teranika wondered what else the Cores had talked about. More to the point who had even started the story to begin with?

The elves of Haven weren't sure what to think of the sudden influx of visitors to their city. They were friendly but couldn't give the Skylanders answers to all their questions. Teranika moved through the city streets fairly easily, she knew what she was about and didn't need to stop anyone for chatter. It was strange to say the least to see a place she knew well over-run by so many faces that were repeated around every corner. It was dizzying to know that she too was one of those faces shared by so many others. Lost in thought the Stealthling neglected to pay attention to where she was going. She inadvertently shouldered a resident of Haven.  
"Forgive me!" she gasped, "I am so sorry, sir."  
"No harm done," the golden skinned and white gold haired elf smiled back.  
Teranika must have had someone looking out for her. Prince Ceron stood before her looking like just another elf gone to market. He was so much like Kaelin and would dress down to mingle with the citizens. What luck she would have to find him out and about. The other Skylanders would be clueless as to who he was but not her. "Teranika, Seraphina's cousin," she said quietly as she tapped her chest.  
Ceron's eyes widened, "Please Lady Teranika, come with me. It is good to see you again."  
Teranika sighed as she fell in step with the youngest prince of Haven. "I do not like the looks of this."

"You have not been here long have you?" Ceron inquired. Teranika shook her head and he continued, "Psionics are no longer Tour's best kept secret. Ghost Roaster is not the only draw but at the moment he is what they want to see. Rumors run rampant about the Skylanders on the verge of war with Tour and everyone that you see here has either come to learn the truth or honestly believe they can appease my so-called furious mother. Mother refuses to think about this fiasco just yet. She is holding audience with Ghost Roaster, Uzern's High Prime and the newly arrived Commander Roghallach."  
Teranika's face lit up, it would be good to see the commander again. The Stealthling side stepped to avoid another individual wearing the same face as her as well as a Warnadoling and Boomerling. "Why are you out here then?"

"The sentencing has already happened and I wanted to see the streets for myself and get my information first hand. The Skylanders are reluctant to speak to anyone in a guard's uniform but if you look scruffy enough they are quite chatty."  
"That would explain why you look like a stable boy," Teranika smirked.  
Ceron held out the jerkin he wore over his shirt, "I always called this my ranger façade. It is rough, travel worn and inconspicuous in a crowd. When I do not wish to be seen it gets the job done."  
"Like Kaelin's mage robes," Teranika nodded.  
Ceron grinned, "Exactly. Although I still say he would make a better priest."

"If all these Skylanders think war is on the horizon with Tour where does that leave the rest of Skylands?"  
"Confused," Ceron sighed, "and rightfully so. Somehow this became larger than us."  
Teranika closed her eyes tightly for a moment, "It can be remedied though, right?"  
"With a little effort and luck, yes. I fully expect mother to invite the Skylanders into the plaza for an address sometime today. Come; let me get you inside the same way I got out. The front door has too many eyes on it."  
"Oh, the tunnels?" Teranika whined, "I hate that place!"  
"I will admit it is not the most glamorous way in but it will do in a pinch."  
The Stealthling made a sour look, "Glad I picked traveling clothing rather than my finer lady-in-waiting gowns." The tunnels were dank, slippery and claustrophobic. So tight were some of the passes that it was dangerous to travel them alone at the risk of getting lodged between rocks without someone to help push or pull or in the more dire instances run for help. Even then it was a twisty course that emptied out into the guard barracks in the palace plaza near the back. They would still have to dash across that to reach the small side entrance the guards used to make their patrols of the palace interior.

Teranika gasped suddenly and Ceron whirled quickly to make sure she was alright. "Has Seraphina informed you of Kaelin's return tonight?"  
"That would be the reason Mother is so adamant about clearing up everything quickly. It has been too long since we have last seen my brother."  
"Did Commander Roghallach give you an update on things in Uzern?"  
"He did," Ceron nodded, "you will want to hear it from him personally. As soon as the meeting with Ghost Roaster is done you should get your chance."  
The Stealthling looked up into the blue sky that was dotted with darker clouds, why did the promise of rain make everything feel so ominous?

"I understand, Queen Elanniah," Ghost Roaster said with the bow of his head. The spirit Uriel had turned up no less than three present day families that could trace their lineage back to the unfortunate soul he had destroyed. The longevity of the eirian elves had actually saved Ghost Roaster a lot of trouble, because they lived so long it wasn't uncommon for eirian to wait until they were three hundred years or older to have children. It also wasn't uncommon for siblings to be separated in age by several hundred years if families did have multiple children. All of this had just been explained to the ghoul after he questioned the number following a nearly five hundred year gap between the events that lead to Uzern's downfall and current day.

Queen Elanniah Alistair looked over the large and opened pillared room; aside from the mandatory posting of palace guards the room was empty save for the three figures that stood before her. What a sight they were, a haggard looking skeletal ghoul, a noble looking spirit priest and a fire-haired commander from the kingdom that gave Elanniah her daughter-in-law. Such a strange series of events had brought the three together. "Prime Uriel," Elanniah nodded to him, "I vow that Commander Roghallach will be tasked with ensuring the Skylander follows through with our arrangement. You have been away from Uzern long enough. The Skylanders still present are under your jurisdiction and I will allow you to see to their occupation." Elanniah was aware of how pompous it sounded but at the same time it sounded better than a suggestion to go home because he looked tired. She had affirmed his authority over the matter and made it sound as if that issue had become heavier than Ghost Roaster's.

_Thank you, Queen Elanniah_, Uriel said with a bow. He looked to Roghallach and gave him a bow as well before he met Ghost Roaster's gaze. _I leave you in the capable hands of the commander. I will hear of any difficulties that might arise. I wish you luck and ask you to exercise more caution in the future._  
The ghoul's gaze dropped. There was no malice in Uriel's tone or that of the queen but still he felt as if he had been reprimanded. Ghost Roaster felt awful about the whole thing and he wanted to make it right; he wanted to prove that there had been a reason Master Eon had inducted him in the first place. "I am so sorry, Queen Elanniah for being the catalyst for the rumors of war."  
The queen grunted a strange and unladylike sound from her. A moment later and she bowed her head. "I do not blame you; rather this is a culmination of several events. I will not lie there is a fair amount of tension between certain kingdoms of Tour and the Skylanders now but so long as the rulers," she placed a hand on her chest, "do not see it as a problem then one will never arise. I will set the record straight later, worry not." The queen rose from her seat and whether she realized she had done it or not cast a glance to the empty throne that should have been occupied by her eldest son. "Go now, Roghallach. Find these homes and aid Ghost Roaster in his repentance."

Meir Valan's commander bowed deeply to the queen. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Uriel do the same before the spirit vanished. When Roghallach rose he found Ghost Roaster had nearly prostrated himself before the queen and she was giving the eirian a look that told him to quickly get the Skylander up before he further embarrassed himself. "Up," Roghallach said to the ghoul, "get up, you are causing a scene."  
Ghost Roaster sprang up as if catapulted. "Sorry!" the ghoul said with widened eyes. He really was a terrifying sight with a fanged grin ever present on his skeletal face and his flaming yellow-orange eyes. His visage almost seemed to make his current state of submission seem a ploy.  
"If you will excuse me," Elanniah said with a nod. "It is time I prepare my address to the Skylanders and city before this thing gets any further out of hand." The queen glided easily off the dais and vanished behind the thrones to depart.

"Come, we shall not linger longer than needed," Roghallach said as he turned to stride back towards the door they had entered through.  
Ghost Roaster ran his hands over his face and sighed, if he were still among the living he would have been sweating profusely by then. "Well that was easier than I thought."  
"I can guarantee that dealing with the descendants will be different. Uriel cut you slack whether you know it or not. It is a very real possibility he left out the immediate descendants of the spirit. Five hundred years for an eirian is not all that long."  
Ghost Roaster stiffened, "But if they live still why don't I start with them?"  
Roghallach paused at the door as two guards swung it open, "A test. How far will you go to seek forgiveness?"  
If the commander hadn't of said a thing the thought would have never crossed Ghost Roaster's mind. But now that it had he couldn't simply pass over the children of the spirit he might very well have damned. An ache that the ghoul would have sworn was regret and sorrow throbbed within his chest. He placed a clawed skeletal hand over it and cast a glance back into the room where the Uzernian spirit had been. He knew what he had to do now and vowed to pass the test.

Rider really didn't feel like waking up but Fright's incessant attempts to stir him mingled with the multitude of voices around him finally got the knight up into a seated position. "Oh I missed you too," he said drowsily to his mount when the ostrich warbled happily and nuzzled up under his chin.  
"How do you feel?"  
Rider looked up to find the Ignitorling standing over him. "Like I've been dragged through hot sands and fought for my life in an aerial battle before I gave the last of my energy to someone else," he replied with a groan. "Why am I so sore if my body never went through anything? Why am I sore period, I'm undead!"  
"That is the power of your mind," the prince said as he held a hand out for the elf. "Double Trouble told me what you did for my sister. Thank you."  
The knight bobbed his head as a modest reply. "How is Meilyr?" Rider inquired as he accepted the hand and rose to his feet. Fright chattered away behind him and nudged him in the small of his back to get him moving.  
"No worse than Stealth or Hex. They are all trying to cope with what they have been through. Spyro says Cynder has retreated and isolated herself."  
Rider took his helm off and tried to stretch out his neck as he smoothed his unruly black hair down. "Has anyone gone to check on her?"  
The Ignitorling shook his head, "Hex shares the same Portal Master. She said she will inform us of any changes and can understand Cynder's desire. Timber's ego really liked her."

It was about then when Rider had scanned the whole of the area that he realized one other was missing. "Your sister?"  
Anicetus instinctively looked towards the Flashwingling who was sitting with Windy and a few of the Skylanders that had been freed the previous night. "Seraphina wore herself out and was sent back to Earth to recover. She should have been back before any of us awoke; Earth sleep recharges us much faster than a sleep in Skylands. Perhaps her Portal Master has other affairs to attend to."  
"We won though, right?" Rider asked as he gave a great stretch and tucked his helm under his arm. Fright nearly head butt it right back out and forced Rider to stroke his skull.  
"Yes, we won. They are all free although the gargoyles hold a higher number of saves than us."  
Rider snorted, "Let them. That was _rough_. I have a whole new understanding and respect for psionics." He shook his head as he walked past Anicetus. "It was both a very liberating experience and a deeply troubling one. I suppose if you are more skilled it is easier to grasp and roll with the punches."

Anicetus chuckled as he fell into step with the elf, "Easier to understand how things work but just as difficult to get through. You have a stronger mind now, believe it or not. You worked it in ways not normally exercised. What does this mean for you? Who knows, it is all in how you decide to view your experience and use what you learned. Or so the skilled psionics will tell you. This is not my area so I do not understand it any more than you."  
What he learned? Rider wasn't sure how useful anything from the mindscape would be but he chose not to question the Ignitorling. "Thank you for the experience. My curiosity is satisfied." He watched the Ignitorling's fire turn bright yellow and knew he was amused. "In all seriousness," Rider began as he dropped a hand on Anicetus's shoulder, "my lance is yours. If you need extra numbers for anything don't hesitate to send for me."  
"It would be an honor to work with you again," Anicetus nodded. "You hung in until the end; Seraphina must have found you capable."  
"Well, I nearly made it through to the end. I did what I had to in order to give others a fighting chance."

"We need to return to Krystal. If I know her she's worried about us. None of us have checked in since yesterday."  
"I understand, Windy. Queen Elanniah will also be awaiting your return," Eloryn reminded her.  
"We will return," Lunar said simply. "After what I went through the thought of facing the queen doesn't scare me." The Hexling wore an expression that held true to her statement.  
"Timber is sulking in any event," Ashlina sighed. The Cynderling sat with her head down, she too felt like a fool for how she had acted. "He needs a little time to himself. We all do, we'll be back before the sun sets. Once we have told Krystal about everything."  
Eloryn lowered her scaled head and looked around the group she sat amid. "Go, Seraphina herself is not here so there is not much we can do ourselves. Make sure you do come back, if anyone has to be sent for you it will reflect poorly on you."

"You have my word that we shall return," the Ignitorling Steek said with a deep bow. He was the only member of the group not seated. He seemed restless and unable to get comfortable so he had opted to stand.  
"Not _here_, not to this place right?" the little Wrecking Balling asked. "I don't want to come back _here_." Polo looked horrified at the thought and even trembled lightly.  
Eloryn shook her head, "To Haven. That is the seat of power for this city and region."  
"Oh thank the light," Polo sighed. He bounced up to Windy and placed his chin on her front leg. "Can we go now? I want to leave."  
Windy looked at him in surprise and then turned the same look on the rest of Krystal's Skylanders. They all seemed to be differing to her and awaiting her approval. "Uh, yeah," the Whirlwindling licked her lips. "It's alright?"  
The Flashwingling gave a dismissive wave of her paw, "Go. We most likely will not remain here much longer." Eloryn rose to her feet and trot over to where Double Trouble was clumped up with Niall, Ginny-Li, Spyro, Pop Fizz, Meilyr and Crevan.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Scorch snorted. In a flash of light the Spyroling was gone. Shortly after him went Mystic the Ninjiniling followed by Steek and Lunar. Sprint and Ashlina seemed to wait for Windy and Polo hesitated before he too sent himself back to Earth.  
"I'll go find Timber," Sprint offered. "You guys go on back. I'll catch up with you in a bit." The Stealthling rose to her feet and waited for the others to vanish before she turned to leave the palace plaza. The city was strangely quiet, even the spirits had seemed to retreat. "Timber," Sprint called softly once she saw the ent's large knotted back. He may have isolated himself from everyone but he had made sure he was still within sight of the plaza and all those within.  
Timber didn't move and barely gave a grunt to acknowledge the other Skylander's presence.  
"Hey, we're all going back to Krystal before we have to go see the Queen of Haven. You coming?"

"Was it easy for you to shrug off what you did following the corruption from those two vile gargoyles?"  
Sprint rubbed at her arm and stopped moving forward. She chewed her lower lip and cast a glance over her shoulder; did he really want to have that conversation right then? "No. I still can't believe that I thought Windy was the enemy and wanted to hurt me. I tried to hurt her in return."  
Timber waved for Sprint to join him without turning around. "I nearly killed four others. Not even the curse would have protected them. How can I live with myself?"  
With a wince Sprint sat down next to the ent. He was on the ruins of a wall and looking out into the wide avenue that lead to the palace. The buildings that lined it seemed to have the look of finer establishments of all kinds from clothing to food and entertainment. "It wasn't you," Sprint replied at length. Her words sounded hollow even to her but what else could she say? "Do you remember the rumors surrounding Cynder and her life before she came to Skylands? This is very similar to that, you can't be held accountable for what happened if you were the slave to someone else's will."

"Rumors?" Timber's baritone voice rumbled. "No, Sprint. They weren't rumors. I got the whole story straight from the source. I saw everything Cynder did through her eyes, I felt every emotion keenly. I could see how strongly she believed in the Dark Master. I tasted her fear when she broke free and worried that he would find her again. I saw Hex before the undead curse took her, the life she lived. The secret she holds and why she is so cold and distant now. I understand why she has so thrown off the trappings of life and embraced what and who she is now. I saw Stealth's first terrified and lonesome memories of the life she now lives. I experienced the jumble of fractured images that still haunt her dreams to this day, the life she had forgotten following the self-induced rebirth and amnesia. Then I saw the comfortable life Meilyr lived coupled with the desire he felt for the eldest princess of his kingdom and his inability to have her. The longing he still harbors and the regret he endures. The jealousy," Timber muttered as he rubbed his eyes. "Sometimes their thoughts interrupt mine and make me see something in a light I would never have thought of."

Sprint swallowed hard and fidgeted with her hands in her lap. "Timber, I don't want to hear what you learned about the others."  
"They learned the same of each other and of me."  
"Yeah but, this is private stuff. You should keep it to yourself. Don't even bring it up with them."  
The ent sighed and propped his elbows on his knees before he leaned forward. "I had no intentions of doing it. I merely wanted you to understand what is swirling inside of my head right now."  
Carefully Sprint reached out with a hand that seemed like a child's to rest on the giant's massive forearm. "You'll get through it. I heard one of the psionics council Stealth on the very issue. If you try to forget everything it will fade quicker. The more you dwell on it the more the chances are of you never forgetting."  
Timber gave a bitter laugh, "You try forgetting massive revelations about another's character."  
Sprint had nothing to say and instead sat in silence with Timber. After what felt like hours the ent sent himself back to Earth without warning and Sprint followed suit. There was still much to do.

"It's time to go," Wraith announced as he strode through the center of the plaza. There was only one gargoyle psionic left and it had been through her that the news came. "Queen Elanniah is waiting for word from us."  
"Then we shan't keep her waiting," Double Trouble commented as he picked himself up from where he had been seated on a crate left behind by the drow.  
"Let us speak with her," Anicetus waved to Eloryn and himself. "Obviously we will be unable to hold a formal meeting without my other sister. If possible would everyone be willing to meet up later today at her Portal Master's island?"  
"I can manage, when did you have in mind?" Spyro asked as he stepped forward.  
"We will return to Haven as soon as everyone has touched bases with their Portal Masters or left word for them. There may be a few additional members to our party before we return to Haven."

"The gargoyles?" Stealth asked. "They can't use portals; wouldn't it be easier for them to meet us in Haven?"  
Meilyr shook his shaggy head, "Not gargoyles. Skylanders, Kaelin along with another is due to return tonight. Seraphina will wish to meet him then bring him home. I guess we will meet the Queen later." Meilyr caught the sympathetic look Stealth gave him and it made him nervous. It was awkward knowing that so many others knew exactly how he felt about the eldest princess. It was awkward knowing of _their_ secrets.  
"What of Windy and her band of miscreants?" Hex questioned, "Do you really trust them to take themselves before the queen?" The look the sorceress wore said she thought they were fools if they believed that.  
Anicetus's fire burned a baleful red and he spoke in a measured tone, "I will fetch them myself if they fail to return. Queen Elanniah will be the least of their worries then." The Ignitorling straightened his posture and his flames returned to their normal soft orange. "If you need coordinates to the island see me before you leave."

Teranika's booted feet echoed dully alongside Prince Ceron's as the two walked through one of the guard access halls of the palace. It smelled faintly of damp stone and moist earth, truth be told it was halls like that one that could be counted as weaknesses with the caverns Ceron had used to enter right behind them.  
"I still cannot raise my Portal Master," Teranika said to break the silence.  
"Have you somewhere to be?" Ceron asked with a glance over his shoulder.  
Teranika shook her head, her long braid swayed with the act, "No, not especially. It is just that Master Sean said he wanted to visit Meir Valan. If he is not already on his way he will not make it before Seraphina meets Kaelin. If he were active I would be able to contact him."  
"I am sorry I have no words of comfort," Ceron apologized as he opened a door for the Stealthling, "Portal Masters are an unknown for me."  
Teranika smiled at the prince as she stepped into the palace proper, "Sometimes even I still do not understand everything about them."

"I had hoped to be brief in my visit but without my Portal Master it leaves me on a set schedule."  
"It makes you travel at the same pace as the rest of us, you mean." Ceron wore a wiry grin and Teranika flashed him a sheepish smile in return. "If Mother still holds company I would guess it is not much longer until she will be able to see you."  
"If you do not have additional information for me I am doubtful the queen will. It is Roghallach I am seeking now that I know he is present."  
Ceron nearly reminded her that he knew all that Roghallach had told them but he also understood what Teranika herself had just been through and decided it better to let her seek out her answers how she wanted to.

Neither of the two had expected to run into Roghallach and Ghost Roaster in the halls.  
"Prince Ceron," the commander bowed. "Forgive me, I see your confusion. We just exited the map room. I am not terribly familiar with Haven and needed some landmarks to help my quest to aid Ghost Roaster."  
The ghoul floated behind the elven commander quietly, he wore an apologetic expression and kept flicking his fiery gaze over to the Stealthling. He knew it wasn't Stealth herself, Stealth would never be caught out and about without her mask on. "Um, hi," he said at last.  
"Who is your friend?" Roghallach asked as he offered a smile and hand to the Stealthling. She smirked at him and slid her hand into his and allowed him to kiss it lightly.

"Why Commander, has it been so long that you have forgotten me?" Teranika said in mock hurt.  
"Lady Teranika!" he gasped. The polite greeting quickly turned into a familiar one with a tight hug. "Light we were so worried about you when you disappeared!"  
Teranika gave the older elf a good squeeze in return. "Master Sean found me. I am with the same Portal Master that holds Seraphina and Eloryn. Can you believe it?"  
"We have much to discuss," the commander's expression seemed to flicker quickly from joy at her return and a stoic set brought on by all he had been through. "If you have time would you care to join us?" the commander motioned between himself and Ghost Roaster. "I will explain everything on the way."  
The Stealthling looked to Ceron as if to ask him if he would find her rude for leaving so soon after her arrival. "No Lady Teranika, you are your own person. I will let you decide."  
"Then I am coming with you," she nodded as she turned back to Commander Roghallach. "We will trade information."

After hearing the excited cries for her attention Krystal had wasted no time in sending her consciousness to Skylands. Her translucent holographic image was perched on a boulder in an open field of her personal sky land as several of her present Skylanders welcomed back the group Windy had taken into Uzern. Some were still missing; they were out on business of their own but had at least sent along their well-wishes for the returned group. Krystal shifted on the boulder and idly thought about how it was possible for her to sit on things, climb up objects and not fall through the ground yet she couldn't pick up anything or open a door herself. She mentally scolded herself, her Skylanders were going over their experiences and she was being rude for having zoned out.

"You know how creepy it was to stand next to the lot of you when you had those black tendrils of energy wrapped around your figures on Earth?" a Jet-Vacling said to Lunar as he poked her in the shoulder with a clawed finger.  
"Less upsetting than it was for us to be the ones trapped," the Hexling grumbled as she rubbed her arm. "Knock it off, Kaw you idiot!" she hissed when he did it again.  
"Jes makin' sure you're really back," he said with a click of his yellow beak and nod of his head.

"Oh man," Polo the little blue Wrecking Ball bounced around, "even though we were like, bad guys and stuff I had so much fun! I went all Pac-Man on the gargoyles. Wocka-wocka-wocka!" the round Skylander exclaimed as he snapped his jaws in an attempt to bite Mystic's etheric djinn tail.  
Mystic snorted, curled the second finger of her right hand against the thumb on that hand and flicked Polo hard between the eyes. "Enough you deranged little worm."  
Polo could only laugh through the squint and flinch, "No I mean it! When the gargoyles came for me they were stuck in a black maze with blue glowing walls and little white dots floating around. The occasional giant cluster of cherries or other fruit broke it up. I just zipped around through it eating everything in my path! I was my real self, a funky mutant chompy. Man Wrecking Ball and I are so much alike now that I think of it; both of us are mutated critters. Anyway the gargoyles; you should have seen them run!" Polo finished with his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth in his stupid grin. "They wandered around aimlessly _forever_ and knocked a few walls down. Finally one of them figured out that eating _me_ would reset everything and they put a stop to my fun." Polo pouted as he flopped down hard on his backside.

"How do you even know what Pac-Man is?" Krystal giggled. "Have I played that game around you? I don't even own it!"  
"Naw, it was in that movie 'Wreck-It Ralph' that we watched, you 'member?"  
"Oh yeah," Krystal blinked. She felt a little awkward for laughing at his story. After all Sprint's and Lunar's had been more dire. And no one wanted to talk about Timber's. It worried Krystal when the Tree Rexling only told her that he was fine but needed time to himself and refused to re-enter Skylands until he had made peace with himself.

"Oh, we're to compare stories are we?" Ashlina snorted. "I was like Sprint and trapped. Only I was in a cage of bones. They were _my_ bones. Just my skull sat on the floor in a cell made of my parts to keep me from doing much of anything. All I could do was scream for help once I heard the gargoyles and my ego set out to defeat them." Ashlina saw the looks of horror she got from others and knew she had left out an important bit of information. "I was undead before I became a Cynderling." She flexed her claws and looked at one of her front legs, "the last time I had flesh over my bones was… oh it's been so long ago," the undead dragon said as she put her leg down. "I've been a skeleton for so long I can't even remember what I looked like when I was alive! I have missed having flesh so much; it feels so good to be squishy again."  
"That's gross, Ashlina," Scorch said with a disgusted face.  
"Ok, you wannabe Spyro, what about you?" Ashlina answered with a challenge. "What did you go through?"

Suddenly Scorch didn't seem so sure of himself and shifted his front paws as he leaned from side to side. He muttered something under his breath that the others couldn't hear.  
"What was that?" the Chop Chopling Skele asked with a hand to his helm in the general location ears would be on any other creature. "Can you repeat that, I didn't quite catch it."  
"I was constantly smothered and stampeded by sheep with fangs and fish tails, ok!?" Scorch snapped back. "Don't laugh!" he shrieked in a voice that cracked when others began to snigger. "They were vicious little monsters with poison in their bites that paralyzed my wings and back legs so I had to crawl everywhere on my belly! It wasn't funny!" the Spyroling said hotly. "Sheep are supposed to be the prey of dragons! They aren't supposed to fight back! Never have they fought back, ever since I was a hatchling I've been in control!"  
"I never knew Hugo's fear of sheep was contagious," Camo said in a great guffaw of laughter. The hybrid had to wipe his eyes from the tears that had formed. His sides were going to be aching later at the rate he was going. He yelped in pain but continued to laugh even after the Spyroling had cuffed him hard upside the head.

"I was so very alone. And cold," Mystic said as she sat down. She looked at the grass and plucked at it slowly with giant but delicate fingers. "It was black all around. All I could see was my breath as I screamed for help. I- I am an arkeyan automation in my true form and that was what I was in this cold blackness. I shouldn't have breath to fog up as it did. Perhaps I have grown too accustomed to my borrowed form," she murmured as she studied her blue hands. "A shield juggernaut," she smirked, "terrified of being alone and cold. Arkeyans aren't supposed to know fear; we aren't programmed with anything but loyalty to the cause and prime directive. I could hear only whispers of the gargoyles when they called to me. I saw flashes of them around me and the arkeyans my mind had placed before them as blocks. They nearly fell, the gargoyles are not a people of technology and found the beings made of gears and metal alien. Their psionic tricks were less effective, my fear dulled them. Am I truly alive now?" Mystic asked as she looked up to the others. "When I became a Ninjiniling I had a range of emotions I had never known. Every day is an adventure for me; there is much I still don't understand. I am nothing more than a wide-eyed child in a strange new world. I, I want to know all there is. I want to _live_. I don't think I can ever be a machine again. Even how I speak has changed," Mystic grinned. "None of you could tell I was arkeyan right?" She saw a lot of shaking heads; it felt good to have pushed off her past but still come clean about it.

There was a long period of silence as everyone took in what Mystic had said. None of them had ever shared their past lives before and it was something of a revelation to hear what others had been.  
"You'll never be just a machine," Quartz said. The Sonic Boomling moved in to take a seat next to Mystic. "I think that the barrier between what makes a machine so different from a being of flesh might have been breached. You're one of us now and will still be like us even when the curse is broken."  
"But I like my new form," Windy replied with her ears down.  
"If you could stay a dragon but not look like a copy of Whirlwind would that work for you?" Leo asked. The Warnadoling had a hard time sitting still. He was always bobbing and weaving about; it was a side effect of his borrowed form. Staying still made him feel dizzy and spinning was nothing to him.  
Windy nodded slowly, "If I could sculpt myself however I wanted that would be the cheese," she said as her eyes took a faraway look. Oh she wouldn't change much, just enough so she wouldn't be confused with Whirlwind. "If possible," the hybrid sighed.

"I have found acceptance," Steek said after another long period of silence. The Ignitorling sat down on a patch of dirt and stretched his legs out before him. "I am a demon," he said bluntly. A few of his adopted family recoiled and others took it as a joke with eye rolls and snorts. "A flame demon," he continued unscathed. "A form eternally wreathed in fire that leaves a trail of burnt earth in my wake. My touch sets ablaze all I make contact with, even the surface of water. Raised in the dark I was supposed to be among the forces that Skylanders are set against in order to protect the freedom of all peoples."  
"Wait," a Shroomboomling said with his one eye narrowed, "I think I remember stories of a demon in the ranks. A Skylander that kept to himself, the mistrust around him on level with that Cynder saw from the rest of the Cores. The demon was only seen in battle and never held company with other Skylanders."

Steek inclined his head, "That would be me, Spore," he replied. "A lonely existence it was for sure. But I did not hold the same views as my kin," the Ignitorling shook his head. "When you are borne to the side that has embraced the darkness you don't start out tainted and corrupt. Rather you learn to accept and embrace the force that seeks to snuff out the light. I rejected such teachings and my parents disowned me in rage. For a while my own kin hunted for me and aimed to take my life. Would you believe that Eruptor himself recruited me and brought me to Eon? They took a chance on me, a demon that cowered in fear and stuck out against the forces of darkness when I ran into them on my wandering of Skylands. While this curse has forced so much misery unto others I find it has liberated me. I would gladly take any other form than my original if it meant I could belong."

The Ignitorling cleared his throat, "That being said you can probably guess what kind of mental prison I found myself in. The gargoyles had nearly deemed me lost, my true nature made them doubt their efforts and question if they would make any kind of change at all. If Timber has secluded himself and refused to speak of his experience then I can only imagine he found himself in something similar to what I went through."  
"I'm not talking," Windy squeaked when nearly everyone looked to her. She shied away from the group and only allowed Sprint to put a comforting arm around her.  
"That's enough," Krystal said as she rose to her feet. "I want to know as much as everyone else but I can also wait for Timber to feel ready. When do you have to go back to see the queen?"  
"As soon as everyone is settled," Sprint answered. "The sooner we get it over with the sooner it can be put behind us."

"Let me see if I can get Timber to at least re-enter Skylands for the meeting. I don't want to hear that _anyone_ gave him a hard time." Krystal may have been young and she may have enjoyed a good time as much as her Skylanders but she also saw them as her responsibility and friends. Just as she would stick up for her friends so too would she look after her Skylanders. The Portal Master spent a few moments more in Skylands before she flickered out to visit Timber. Krystal was just as ready as her Skylanders to be through with the whole thing.


	43. Atonement

**Atonement**

Sean sat back down in the chair in front of his computer. As always when he wasn't careful how he lowered himself into it the chair tried to turn. Held carefully in his right hand was the Hexling Seraphina. "Light, you had an adventure." The Portal Master had to smile; he was starting to pick up her way of speaking. Never had he said 'light' in the way he had just used it.  
"I am still so tired," the Hexling said softly.  
"Then rest," Sean said simply.  
"What time is it, how long until sun set?" the urgency was back in her voice.  
The Portal Master sat back in the chair. "Five hours until sun set, give or take. You have time to rest. I can put you back in Skylands if you wish."  
Seraphina hesitated in her reply, she didn't know Windy's friends had been freed and feared having to return to that task.  
"I understand," Sean replied for her. "Let me go first. I'll check out the lair and island to ensure you have a quiet arrival so you can get some rest. Unless you would rather go to Meir Valan?"  
"Your island is fine," Seraphina replied. "It is closer to Kaelin's."

When Sean entered Skylands he was greeted by howling winds and driving rain. The Portal Master was suddenly _very_ glad he was nothing more than a hologram. He stepped lightly over the grass and mud puddles to reach the lair. Well there were no worries of the island being bustling. That wasn't to say the inside of the lair wasn't a hub of activity. Sean reached the door and instinctively reached out to open it before his holographic hand simply sank through the doorknob. The Portal Master said a few choice words then stepped back to fold his arms over his chest.  
He glanced to either side of the door and realized the right hand window had the curtain opened. Sean wasted no time and moved to it to scope out the inside.

Ox the Chop Chopling was not only the self-proclaimed watchdog for Sean's Skylanders but he had taken it upon himself to be the housekeeper as well. In truth it hadn't been solely his idea, Ox's wife Cheryl was the self-appointed den mother. Ox and Cheryl were a fairly young couple and didn't have any children so Cheryl decided the island needed her touch. The mabu was pleased with the elven flair the lair had and enjoyed looking at the baubles on the shelves as she cleaned.  
"No, you have to clean under the rugs too dear," Cheryl told Ox. Without even turning around she had somehow known he was just cleaning the top of the rug and the floor around it.  
If he had been capable of facial expressions the Chop Chopling would have worn a bemused look. "You never cease to amaze me, dear."  
"And you never seem to remember that I know all your tricks," Cheryl said with an admonishing wave of her finger. She turned around to smirk at her husband and her smile melted instantly and left her mouth in a perfect little 'o' shape. "Your Portal Master is outside! Let him in, the weather is dreadful outside!" Cheryl made a fuss about straightening her apron and fur atop her head as Ox shuffled for the door and opened it quickly.

"Well I'm not getting wet," Sean smirked at the couple when Cheryl apologized profusely for not seeing him sooner. "Who else is here?"  
Ox rubbed the back of his helmeted head as he thought. "Um, I think I saw Scott in the halls earlier. The sky baron made it back before the storm hit. I can only guess that everyone else is waiting it out where they are or sitting on a sunny beach elsewhere."  
"Actually Weald is out in the rain somewhere. You didn't see him?" Cheryl asked Sean.  
The Portal Master had to think about it, Weald was a Camoling so it was easy to miss him if he had tucked himself away into a shrub or something. Knowing the hybrid though he was probably in plain sight and Sean had just overlooked him. "So long as he's enjoying himself," Sean raised a brow as he looked back out the window in time to see a flash of lightning. "Listen, Seraphina had a rough night. I'm going to bring her in to rest and her sister as well as friends is bound to come looking for her. Make sure they mind their manners." Sean knew that statement would appeal to Cheryl; he could already see the mabu holding a rolling pin from the kitchen as she waved it threateningly at the Skylanders Sean spoke of.

Even before the light had faded from Seraphina's arrival she had become keenly aware of the driving rain. The Hexling wasted no time and dashed towards the lair to get out of the rain. Normally the fact the landing zone on Sean's island was outdoors didn't bother her, but with the rain it was different. Seraphina really didn't want to go through the effort of drying off and changing before she could stretch out in bed. The Hexling burst through the door and startled the two occupants of the sitting room.  
"Goodness dear, you'll catch cold," Cheryl said as she draped a blanket over Seraphina's shoulders. The mabu couldn't have been far from Seraphina's age, she was possibly even a couple of years younger than the Hexling but she had a strong motherly air to her.  
"Thank you," the Skylander replied with a smile.  
"Master Sean said you were looking to rest. Go on dear, we won't keep you waiting."  
"We'll make sure no one disturbs you," Ox said with the thump of his fist against his metal plated ribcage.

Seraphina glided effortlessly up the stairs to the floor her room was on. The lair was silent except for the sound of the rain outside. It was a large building with room to expand if Sean's Skylander population grew and it wasn't uncommon to find it empty. The Skylanders had their own lives so if life called they were away. In one respect it felt like they were abandoning Sean but not a single one of his Skylanders could say they weren't happy it had been him that found them. He let them live their lives and was always around if they needed him.  
The Hexling drifted into her room, her home away from home. It was comfortable and familiar and Seraphina couldn't help but smile; it was all thanks to her parents. Without hesitation the undead Skylander disrobed and climbed into bed. Just a little more rest and time to recharge from her adventure was all she needed. Then she would be ready to take on the world, so to speak. Seraphina was blissfully ignorant of events elsewhere and had no idea that her brother and sister had already paid Elanniah a visit to let her know it was finally over, as the Hexling drifted off to sleep she kept replaying in her mind what she would tell the queen. Mostly though she thought of seeing Kaelin again.

"This can't be good," Windy said as she wove her way through Skylanders and Haven's residents alike. She watched a foul-tempered Ninjiniling shove a gawking group of Skylanders out of the way so she could move on. A few choice words were shot back at the giant and she turned quickly to toss a single exploding orb into their midst. That got the attention of the guards that were patrolling the market and a group of perhaps eleven of them swarmed in on the giant with commands that she remove herself at once or they would do it for her. Windy flinched and picked up her pace to move out of the group. It had taken a while for Timber to ready himself enough to leave and Windy was a little upset that Camo had decided to stay behind. He had entered Uzern later, only after Krystal had learned of the trouble so he opted to stay out of Windy's audience with the queen.

"How rude," Mystic commented as she glanced back to the other Ninjiniling. It was individuals like that behind the bad name other copies and even the originals were given unfairly.  
"Don't drift too far apart," Steek said as he held a hand out for Polo to catch up. The little Wrecking Balling had gotten cut off from the group by a rumbling cart and had nearly been run over by it when the elf leading the trekker that pulled it was so intent on watching the spectacle the foul tempered Ninjiniling was making.  
"I'm going to clear space in the crowd," Polo threatened.  
"Please, don't. You know that sometimes those foul belches of yours are flammable," the Ignitorling warned him.  
"It'd clear them fast," Polo grumbled. It would also singe him but he would be satisfied with more space at least.

"How much longer are we going to have to walk?" Scorch said with the roll of his eyes. He curled his lip up in disgust as he tip-toed around a pile of trekker droppings. The people in charge of cleaning up the messes quickly were slacking and it irritated him.  
"Can't keep up, fatty?" Ashlina said snidely.  
The Spyroling's head shot up and he lift his chin high, "I am not fat. If anything Spyro is!"  
"Hate to break it to you, Scales, but you are a little chunkier than the real Spyro," Lunar replied dryly.  
"Yeah, well you make Hex look like some cheap pros-" He never got to finish; Timber gave him such a sound thump on the head that the Spyroling crumpled to the street. Without a word the giant ent picked up the limp body of the dragon and threw him over a shoulder so the group wouldn't slow in their progress.  
Lunar was torn between thanking the giant or recoiling in fear of what he had just done. Timber kept his eyes straight ahead though so she felt she had nothing to worry about. Were her leathers really that bad? The Hexling looked down to her thigh-high stilettos and form fitting leather bodysuit. Scorch was just a jerk.

It had taken excruciatingly long to wind through the city streets and arrive in the palace district. The sun sat just above the tops of the tallest structures by then to show just how late in the afternoon it was. "What is your business in the palace?" a highly decorated guard asked as he and the other that flanked the entrance to the palace plaza moved to block the path.  
Windy felt all eyes on her and shifted nervously on her feet. "Um, I'm Windy. Queen Elanniah wanted to see us like, after we got out of Uzern?" she didn't sound so sure of herself and the way the guard's expression failed to change she thought he might not have believed her.  
"Have you a contact inside that can verify this?"  
"Uh, no?" Windy flinched. "We traveled with Seraphina and her brother and sister. I don't think they're here cuz Sera was sent back to Earth to rest."  
"_Princess_ Seraphina," the guard corrected her curtly. "Wait here while I check the validity of your claim." Under normal circumstances such a weak claim would have been turned away instantly but the guard was no fool and as no other claims like it had been made yet he gave them the benefit of the doubt.

"Real smooth there girl," Sprint said softly so only Windy could hear.  
"He made me nervous!" she squeaked in defense. "I don't want to end up in some wonk dungeon!" The feathers on her tail were bristled as she swayed it nervously. It was almost over.  
"What can we expect inside?" Steek asked as he moved up between the two ladies.  
"Er," Windy said with a wrinkled nose, "The Queen is nice? I don't, I don't _really_ know. I've never met her. I've only met the King and Queen of Meir Valan. I kinda sorta maybe almost know Prince Kaelin?"  
Steek extended a hand back to the rest of the group. "Which of us will do the talking? The others will keep quiet unless addressed."  
"Don't look at me," Ashlina said with a curled lip. "I don't know how to talk to anyone that important."  
"Let me," Timber rumbled after a moment of silence. "Let me make our case."

"You're sure?" Polo said skeptically.  
"If you believe you would have a better chance," Timber extended the arm not used to hold Scorch over his shoulder.  
"Oh no!" the Wrecking Balling exclaimed with a firm shake of his head. "I'm cool, it's all yours!"  
"Good! Then it's settled!" Windy laughed nervously. "Glad we got that out of the way." The hybrid along with the rest of her party looked up as the guard re-emerged.

It was growing late in the day, the shadows were beginning to stretch out farther across the landscape and for once Flameslinger was antsy and worried about being late. He paced like a caged animal even though the orchard he was in had plenty of space between the apple trees. The rich scent of the blossoms perfumed the air sweetly and promised a healthy harvest later. The archer looked up into the arching boughs when a blue jay called out. He spotted the brilliantly blue and white bird easily before the jay spread his striped wings and took off in a flutter for a sight unseen.

The elf shook his head and continued to pace between the rows of perfectly aligned trees. He had to admit it was a very bizarre sort of setting if he could look at any one tree and those behind it were lined up perfectly in an exact line. Truthfully it made his skin crawl, nature wasn't that precise in how it arrayed itself so Flameslinger didn't quite get the feeling of awe he did from wild, untamed lands.  
"You look like you're expecting bad news," a familiar voice said with a soft tease in the tone.  
Flameslinger stopped and straightened up. She was the only person that could sneak up on him without the use of magic. "Ma chère, you wanted to see me?" the archer grinned coyly as he turned to the direction the voice had come from. His grin melted when he saw no one. Flameslinger arched a brow and took a few steps forward; the trunks of the trees were thick enough for the slender form of an elf to hide behind. But he found nothing behind the nearest trees and already knew she wouldn't be behind any of the further trees.  
"Lose something?" the voice asked from behind him and to the right. The green skinned elf whirled quickly and found nothing again. "I thought you were faster than that." From the left that time. Yet again Flameslinger found nothing when he turned. "Oh so close!" That time the voice was directly behind him.

"You are having fun, yes?" Flameslinger asked with a hint of annoyance in his tone. She had been _right_ behind him; how could she have vanished so quickly that time?  
"Yes." Again the voice came from directly behind him.  
That time however Flameslinger caught the tips of fingers just barely slip out of view as he turned around. He grinned, now he had her. She was indeed right behind him and turned as he did so he would miss her. The elf shot a hand behind him in hopes of grabbing her. Instead he got a swat for his trouble and when he turned he finally saw Stealth Elf.  
"You're too easy to predict!" the way the corners of Stealth's eyes crinkled said she was grinning.  
"And you are to be saying that my boasting is annoying?" Flameslinger snorted, "The way you are to be flitting around like the little butterfly is annoying!" He made a fluttering motion with his hands as he spoke.

Stealth's head rolled, so did her eyes even if the solid color of them didn't show it. "Any chance _anyone_ can take to run circles around _you_ can't be wasted."  
Flameslinger snorted and shook his head with a wave. He turned back to face her and his expression softened when he noticed for the first time she was relaxed in her posture and stance. He got the distinct feeling she had let her guard down. It was very similar to how she had been in the mindscape near the end but there he had attributed it to exhaustion. There was no reason for it now. "What is wrong?" Oh that was a dumb question and he winced inwardly at it.  
"I still feel I owe you an apology," she began. "The things I offered as temptation to get you to submit to Timber's will were unfair."  
The archer held his hand up, "Arrêter. You have already apologized. I have accepted. This is enough for me."

"It isn't for me!" Stealth said with a hurt in her voice that had been unexpected. "Timber only used what was already there; he twisted it and accented it. It, it scares me to think that I would be capable of such a thing!"  
Cynder came to mind instantly, Flameslinger had heard from Spyro how she hated herself for the longest time after Malefor's hold over her was broken. "Then I will be excellent in listening to your words," Flameslinger offered before he folded his legs and sat down in the grass of the orchard.  
"You frustrate me so," Stealth said as her back stiffened. "Your arrogance and over-confident swagger drive me up the wall! But they also seem to draw me in and charm me." The elf clasped her hands behind her back and began to pace down the row of apple trees, yet another action to show how out of her element she was. Stealth shook her head, "I refused your advances because you had such an air to you as to make me out to be some kind of prize or trophy you won! I didn't want to be held up on some pedestal to be displayed in such a light."  
As promised Flameslinger simply listened, what she said surprised him though. Was that how his attempts looked to others? It wasn't his intentions and hearing it made him find his boots very interesting suddenly. He ran a finger over the seam between sole and boot leather as he listened.

"And then, and then," Stealth seemed to struggle with the words. "My memories and thoughts were laid bare to those that shared my ordeal and from them I got a different viewpoint. I saw that I made myself so unapproachable that you did the only thing you knew how to do: get louder and more flamboyant. You thought you needed to work harder to impress me, that maybe you felt inadequate enough. No, Flame, I don't want you to be anything else. If you weren't you then where would that thrill be when you flirted with danger and always managed to pull your tail out of any sort of trouble you got yourself into? You're a character. You live life in ways I can't, in ways that are entertaining to watch. There's a certain adventure to you that I'm really to explore."

When Flameslinger looked up he was surprised to find Stealth had removed her mask. She _never_ removed it; she made it a point to eat by herself so no one saw the whole of her face. Without a second thought Flameslinger brought his hands up behind his head and untied the ever present cloth around his eyes. It wasn't that he hadn't already shown others his eyes in the mindscape but with Stealth's show of trust he knew he had to meet her every step of the way.  
"I warn you, archer," Stealth's crisp tone was back. To finally see her lips move as she spoke was intoxicating to Flameslinger and she had his full attention, "if you even so much as _hint_ to others about me going all soft like some lovesick little girl then I promise you the same sort of treatment as the others will get should they talk about what they learned of me in the mindscape."  
"I am not so big a fool as to be believing you are soft," he replied gently. Slowly Flameslinger rose to his feet and kept his eyes on hers. The corners of her mouth twitched an action he had never seen with her mask in the way. The subtle changes in the position of her lips as she kept thoughts unvoiced. So simple a display but yet it meant so very much to him.

Stealth closed her eyes and her lips parted the smallest amount for a sigh. After a while she opened her eyes again and showed Flameslinger her smile.  
"You are the most beautiful elf in all of the Skylands," Flameslinger murmured. He took a chance and stepped closer to her before he ever so slowly raised a hand to cup her cheek. Stealth didn't move even when he ran his thumb softly over her lower lip. "Your mask I will be seeing to me as hiding your beauty from the eyes of others. Only a sight for mine own."  
The other elf followed his lead and raised her own hand to stroke his cheek and run her fingers over his brow and gently under his eyes. "And I will take pride in the fact that the eternal fire of your eyes burns only for my enjoyment."  
A comfortable silence settled in on the two elves and neither moved for the longest time. After seemingly an eternity Flameslinger chuckled, "We should be meeting with the others, non? They are to be expecting us soon I am believing."  
Stealth nuzzled the hand he still had on her cheek before she stepped away and tied her mask back in place. "Let's go see if our surprising friend is back on her feet by now."

Behind him Ghost Roaster could hear the Stealthling Teranika speaking to Commander Roghallach. That left Ghost Roaster on his own hovering on the stone path that led up to a house attached to a vineyard. The first stop on Ghost Roaster's Tour of Shame as he had dubbed it. The clouds that had threatened rain had finally delivered. A heavy downpour had kept Ghost Roaster indoors as he and his companions waited it out. Now the air was crisp and clean; puddles of rain pooled in low-laying areas but most of it had already been absorbed by the earth. After a moment of simply studying the estate Ghost Roaster steeled himself and approached the home, he had already been spotted by a small elven child who had in turn run inside to fetch his mother. The ecru skinned woman with flaxen hair stepped out onto the porch wearing an apron dusted with flour. She cleaned her hands with a kitchen towel as she turned her gaze from the terrifying Skylander back to the obvious military presence. The Commander had one eye on the situation and turned to face her when he noticed her stare.

"Lady Ardara Brawley?" the undead ghoul asked tentatively.  
"Aye," she replied with a tilt of her head. "You are a Skylander are you not? What business would you have out here?" The vineyard was outside of the city walls, even without the city's protection the plantation style home seemed to flourish. The low stone wall around it was the only thing to separate it from the short expanse of countryside around it. She tucked her son behind her when the little boy peeked around her skirt again.  
Ghost Roaster's jaw worked but no sound came from it. He cleared his throat and tried again. He didn't expect what came next.  
"Oh no," Ardara gasped when she looked back to Roghallach, "Cowen did not make it." The housewife sank to her knees suddenly and turned watery eyes up to Ghost Roaster. "How did it happen?"  
The ghoul was flabbergasted, what was she talking about? He had come with news of her ancestor, Duane Neely. The house wife had used a name he wasn't familiar with.  
"Momma?" the little boy said as he walked around to the front of her and pulled on the strap of her apron that went behind her neck, "Momma why you cry?" The elven child pawed at his mother's cheeks and she gently took his hand before she hugged the boy in tight against her chest.

"I'm not here about Cowen," Ghost Roaster said at length. He didn't want to ask her what she meant for it had suddenly dawned on him. Cowen must be her husband and in the elven military. The presence of a Commander and the absence of her husband had led her to believe he had perished.  
"You are not?" her voice cracked with emotion. "Then where is he?"  
Ghost Roaster jumped when Commander Roghallach spoke suddenly from his side, "Forgive us, Lady Brawley," he said with a bow. "Your husband is most likely still with the efforts to relocate the invading drow. I am visiting from Meir Valan and have no useful information for you on his whereabouts." He moved in smoothly and extended a hand to help the elven woman to her feet. She dried her eyes on her flour coated apron and left streaks of white around her eyes in the process.  
"Why are you here?" Ardara asked as she took her son by the hand.

"Well, uh, you see," Ghost Roaster sighed. He didn't know how else to do it so he started from the beginning, right when he and Sprocket first arrived in Uzern. He transitioned into clearing the drow out and the spawning of the drow ghosts before he brought up his spectral clean up duties, as he phrased it. Ardara listened even though she still didn't understand what it had to do with her, at least until he reached the point of his story. "The High Prime of Uzern found the name of the spirit I had accidently devoured and linked him to you, Duane Neely, your grandfather several generations removed."  
Ardara's reaction was much as it had been for when she thought her husband dead. She scooped her son up and held him tight against her and buried her face in his chest. The little boy was scared and confused and kept looking over his shoulder at the silent elf that stood next to the frightening ghoul.  
"I'm so sorry," Ghost Roaster said softly. "It was a mistake." He bowed his head; the sounds of her sobs were heart breaking for the ghoul.  
"You stole his chance to rejoin the light!" the housewife accused him. "You devoured his soul! He has been sent to oblivion!" Her knees shook and she wound up sitting hard on her backside. Her mannerisms scared her son and the elven child began to wail uncontrollably.

Teranika couldn't stand by and do nothing any longer. The Stealthling zipped in and dropped to her knees in front of the mother and took both her and her son in an embrace. She felt the mother wrap an arm around her and the child's sobs were painfully loud in her right ear.  
"Why has this happened? For ages Uzern has remained safe and our ancestors peacefully protected it!"  
Teranika ran her hand over Ardara's hair but said nothing, what could she say? "Shh," she tried to soothe both mother and child.  
Ghost Roaster's shoulders slumped and his head bowed, as a skull his grin was ever present and his eyes were wide and wild. He felt ashamed for his lack of facial expressions and bowing his head would at least hide that flaw.

Eventually Ardara's sobs became soft whimpers and she allowed herself to pull away from the Stealthling. She knew none of the people that stood before her but she felt such sympathy and comfort from the elf that sat with her. The Commander was stoic; Ardara had often heard how much self-control they exerted over themselves when it came to delivering such news. The Skylander before her was ashamed and she could tell by how he studied his hands and kept his head down. He was a grotesque creature with a dark habit yet he was a warrior for the light, it was irony at its finest. "If you are waiting for my forgiveness you will be waiting for a long while," she said bitterly. "My parents should know, unless you have come from them already?"  
"N-no, you are the first stop I made," Ghost Roaster replied. He looked up just the smallest amount. The hard set of her features and the hate behind her eyes wasn't completely unexpected but it still stung.  
"Go to them," Ardara snapped. "And follow their direction to other relatives until we all know of your treachery."  
"I am supposed to offer my services to you," Ghost Roaster said softly, "an indentured servant."  
"I do not want them!" Ardara hissed as she stood quickly. Her son began to sob again and she stroked the boy tenderly on his back. "Now leave! I never want to see your wicked grin around here ever again!"

The ghoul shuddered the moment the child's cries had finally faded behind him. He ran his hands over his face, his boney palms came in direct contact with his eyes and he didn't so much as flinch. "Light," was all he managed.  
Commander Roghallach said nothing as he led the group back to the city. Teranika too was silent and kept her gaze straight ahead. Ghost Roaster felt alone in the company of the two elves and kept replaying the events at the vineyard in his head. It made him feel awful to face what he had done by telling those it affected. The ghoul wanted to turn around and beg the queen to lock him up in the dungeon for the remainder of his sentence, even extend the lock up so he didn't have to face any more relatives.  
"Come now."  
Ghost Roaster looked up in surprise to find the commander a fair distance ahead of him and waiting on him alongside the Stealthling. The ghoul raced up to meet them and slowed his pace to match their own. Hopefully he could finish all the homes by nightfall, the thought of waiting all night to visit the others in the morning made him feel hollow.

The room Windy and her companions had been led to wasn't an audience hall, not that Windy knew much about palace life and protocol but she was fairly certain a room full of bookcases and tables that bore curios or carafes of liquid alongside delicate flute-style glasses wasn't supposed to be a formal audience room. The room was open to the outside air and its interior spacious and dotted with comfortable chairs and divans for a very relaxed atmosphere. Windy noticed that even though the room was so open to the elements that nothing had been touched by the recent rain.  
Timber carefully deposited Scorch onto a divan with forest green upholstery; the dragon groaned but otherwise remained blissfully silent. Lunar herself drifted up to a long, low chaise longue also the color of foliage and stretched out languidly across it without a care in the world. The others opted to remain standing out of nervousness.

A door opened in the back and Queen Elanniah swept in wearing a long dress of rich navy blue lined in white filigree designs and the highly decorative circlet of her station, a golden object woven like vines into an intricate pattern with a single gem that seemed to match the color of the sunset outside when she faced it or the shadows of the room when she walked through one. The queen glanced first to the dragon that seemed to be sleeping then towards the Hexling that returned her gaze coolly without worry or thought of how her act might be seen as offensive. "My daughter-in-law has not come with you?" the queen asked in a clear voice. She had already spoken to Anicetus and Eloryn so she knew why the absence was possible but she had really hoped that by then Seraphina would have returned. Worry gnawed at the queen's heart.  
Timber bent his knee and knelt before the queen before others realized they should do the same. Lunar remained where she was, her cold eyes simply brushed over her companions. "Forgive me, Queen Elanniah. It is due to me that she is not here," Timber spoke into the silence.  
"And how is this your fault?" the queen asked as she came to stand right in front of the giant.  
"We have a long story, if you are willing to allow us the chance to tell it," the Tree Rexling answered. He kept his head down, the queen's feet were just barely hidden under her long gown and all he could see to know they were there was two little bumps in the fabric.

"I want to hear it from the beginning, right from the moment you decided it would be a good idea to enter unbidden into our holy grounds." The queen looked pointedly at Windy. Elanniah knew basically everything but she wanted to hear the version that came from the individuals before her.  
"I'll start, Timber," Windy croaked. She had to clear her throat a few times before she felt ready to speak. It took her a while to even begin, the Whirlwindling kept faltering as she tried to explain herself and started over a few times until it sounded just right to her. The rest of her friends were silent as she spoke and only Sprint gave her encouraging looks or prompts.  
Queen Elanniah listened intently, her expression did nothing to give away what she was thinking or feeling. She simply let the Skylander explain in her own words why she thought it was a good idea and perfectly acceptable. Ignorance was her largest defense but the queen still couldn't understand why the City of the Dead had been so appealing to those that hadn't heard the full story. Queen Elanniah knew of the gift Uzern had temporarily bestowed upon the group her daughter-in-law had led in at first. But Windy made no mention of the psionic gifts or the sight of their true selves without the curse. How had she convinced her friends to join her in that case? They most likely now understood psionics but without that curiosity in the beginning how was it possible?

"Then that's when I left to get help. I knew the drow weren't the cheese so I had to do something. I left the others and went for Ser-Princess Seraphina and the guys from this part of Skylands," Windy finished with. She was very nearly breathless; as she had told the story she picked up steam and speed to almost spit it out in one breath.  
"I see," Elanniah said softly. She let her gaze drift over the others. By that point the Spyroling was once again awake and the Hexling was still sprawled out as if she owned the place. Elanniah said nothing, by allowing the group to simply be themselves she was learning much about them. So far she understood most of them to be brash with no thought beforehand on how their actions might ripple out to affect others. The silence from the giant she knew to be Timber and the slight distance he kept himself from the others was a point of interest that as of yet the queen didn't understand.

"When we came back everything began to fall apart," Windy said softly. She glanced to Timber as if to tell him that was his cue to take over.  
The giant made a rumbling sound as he straightened himself up so he could look at the queen. Still he was in a kneeling position before her. Others had long ago risen but not Timber. "It was after we were overwhelmed and defeated by the drow that things became so bleak we felt all hope was lost. And for a while it was." Timber began his tale of magic to weaken and fog their minds and the horrible intrusion of the psionic will that they had never encountered before followed by the spread of corruption and the growing fear within them all that turned them into monsters.

"When I was at last set free," Timber said in conclusion, "I had no clue as to what else had befallen Uzern or the forces that pushed the drow out. My own adventure was something haunting and contorted into fantasy. I bear a terrible shame for my actions, both the fact that I even entered the city to begin with and the fiend I became as a result. It wasn't until this morning that I learned of the others and what befell them. If you desire each of us could relay our stories to you."  
The queen held her hand up, "Enough. I have heard enough. Your personal struggles are you own; I have heard one and can sympathize with the rest. The fact still remains that you were where you should not have been. Averted drow invasion aside I must still take into consideration the trespass."

"We _saved_ you!" Scorch snapped at the queen. "Throw us a bone or something; didn't we pay off any debt already after what we have been through?"  
The queen's nostril's flared; the rest of her face remained smooth and unaltered. She turned her head back to the Hexling and kept her gaze there. After a while the Skylander understood the stare and slipped off the furniture to stand alongside the others. She fidgeted with her hands and looked down to avoid that piercing stare from the queen. "You will visit the archmage upon leaving the palace. The College is the building on the hill above the city and the waterfall that you saw empty into the palace entrance hall. There she will mark each of you with a spell that will ban you from entering Haven or Uzern again until we deem it fit to remove."  
"Well fine!" Scorch shouted back, "Not like I ever wanted to see this light forsaken place again anyway!"  
"Then for the next month I expect you to patrol the border of the elfwood and turn back anyone, particularly Skylanders, that try to enter without bearing my seal of approval," Elanniah continued unruffled. "For every individual that manages to slip by you and is found deeper in the elfwood or worse yet within Uzern you will find an additional week added to your patrols."

"I'm afraid you'll need to clear that with our Portal Master and possibly even Grandmaster Eon," Sprint said carefully. She hoped she didn't sound smug, she wanted to comply with the queen but there were other parties involved in the event as a whole.  
"Visit the archmage then hail your Portal Master for a meeting. I will not travel myself; if your Portal Master will not come here then I will send my son. If your Portal Master cannot be bothered to meet me formally then I will not expend the effort myself. Now go before I decide to add more time to your atonement."

Elanniah stood in the room as she waited for the Skylanders to leave. At first they had thought she was bluffing but the Spyroling decided he didn't want to chance it. When he bolted the others followed. If they failed to meet with the archmage, well, Elanniah would deal with that if it happened. "Did you hear everything?" Elanniah spoke to the empty room.  
"I did," Prince Ceron said as he entered the room through the door his mother had earlier. "Should I make preparations to travel to where ever this Portal Master's island is?"  
The queen shook her head, "Give the human two days to meet with us here. When Seraphina finally returns we will have her petition Grandmaster Eon for an audience. If the Portal Master falls through on negotiations then perhaps there is something the Grandmaster can do to remedy it."  
"And your address to the gathered Skylanders?"  
Elanniah sighed, "Yes, it is time to tackle that task. Find Commander Caoimhe; have her send the word to Skylanders and Havenites alike via soldiers. Find the Overseer of the Guard and have him double the palace guard. No one gets in without permission from either you or me. It is time to squash these rumors of war."

There was a flurry of movement as the group fled through the palace and past surprised servants as well as visiting nobles. The break-neck speed didn't stop even when guards began to shout at them for their show of poor manners. It wasn't until the party was outside the palace gates that they slowed.  
"A month of lame patrols?" Scorch scowled. "After all we've been through that, that, stuck-up she elf wants _more_ out of us?"  
"Shut up, Scorch, just shut up!" Ashlina barked. The Cynderling reared up on her hind legs and unfurled her wings threateningly to squash any sort of retort the Spyroling might have. "It could have been worse. I will gladly take a month's patrols if it means I won't be shamefully court marshaled from the Skylanders."  
"I've never been banned from somewhere before," Windy said in astonishment. She looked lost and more than a little bewildered. Her wings dragged the ground and she turned a head that wobbled on her neck towards her friends. They _had_ been through so much; she really didn't understand how important Uzern was to the eirian until that moment. She blinked out the sting in her eyes and looked at the other Skylanders in the city before it finally hit her. "They know," she said with wide eyes, "Everyone knows! Word got out, word about Uzern and psionics! Kaos will come!" Windy turned back around as if she meant to re-enter the palace and warn the queen.

"She knows, kiddo," Mystic said as she placed a giant hand over Windy's shoulder, it engulfed both of them and part of her back. "Why do you think we've been given patrol duty?"  
"Man," Scorch snorted, "Why do I _always_ get stuck with the lame assignments?"  
"Maybe because you're a lame-brain," Polo snorted back. He bounced out of the way when Scorch tried to slap him with his tail spear. The Wrecking Balling stuck his tongue out and Scorch started to charge up a fireball before Timber grabbed him by the snout. The fire fizzled out in curling smoke and the Spyroling flinched against the pressure.  
"That's enough," Timber said with a lip curled up. "We should visit the archmage and inform Krystal of everything."  
"She'll be so disappointed," Windy said with her head held low.

"We were beginning to wonder if you were going to make it," Rider said as he clapped Flameslinger on the shoulder and greeted Stealth with a short bow. Fright was milling about by himself in the background; the undead ostrich was content to explore every rock and clump of foliage on the strange Portal Master's island.  
"What a lair," Stealth said in surprise. She thought she was looking at a building that had been uprooted from an elven city and relocated to the Portal Master's island. It had rained recently, the clouds had broken so the warm colors of pink and orange could filter through but the remaining puddles and the fresh scent in the air was all the evidence the elf needed. She looked up past Spyro, Hex and Niall to see the door open and an Ignitorling followed by a Flashwingling dash out with a mabu wielding a frying pan of all things.  
"Master Sean said your sister is not to be disturbed!" the mabu said heatedly as she waved the pan around threateningly.

"You dented my armor!" Anicetus said in disbelief as he twisted himself to look at his right side. His fires were burning a little brighter and had a tinge of red in them; he was annoyed but not angered at least.  
"The nerve of some people," Eloryn gave a derisive snort and set to checking her crystals. Despite all her bluster over how much she reportedly hated her form she sure did seem concerned over the condition of her bejeweled hide.

"Where are the gremlins and Double Trouble?" Flameslinger asked as he craned his neck to look around the island. He saw other Skylanders; obviously Sean's and they seemed to be in awe over the amount of Cores and kept to themselves.  
"Well you know Pop," Rider shrugged as he turned to stride back to the others. "He found a puddle to hop in and got carried away. He's probably going to make his way back through here all covered in mud. Crevan and Meilyr went after him in a panic thinking he was going to turn the whole island into a mud hole. Double Trouble is following them around for the fun of it."  
"Camo decided not to join us?" Stealth questioned.  
"He is with his Portal Master awaiting the return of the Whirlwindling and the others that were locked in the mindscape," Hex answered.  
"The gargoyles are meeting with their clan Alphas and exchanging information with other clans or they would be here as well," Spyro answered before anyone could ask.

"We are running out of time, it is obvious Seraphina is not going to make the meeting with Kaelin," Anicetus sighed as he turned back around. "Elo, you are with me. We will bring him back here and then I bet we can get in to see Seraphina."  
"There is no need for the rest of us to go with you, we will remain here awaiting your return," Niall nodded.  
"Before you leave," Hex said as she drifted up to Eloryn, "Bring your Portal Master in. I owe him an apology."  
Eloryn gave her a raised brow in question but didn't add a voice to it. Instead she nodded, Sean was easy enough to hail and with his arrival he opened a portal for Eloryn and her brother to the island that they could see from the right edge of his.  
"You wanted to speak with me?" Sean looked towards the Core.


	44. Now We are Whole

**Now We are Whole**

The island was populated with a multitude of Skylanders when Anicetus and Eloryn arrived. They surprised the nearest occupants, a Camoling and Warnadoling that cried out in alarm and scampered off in a hurry.  
"Are you new?" Anicetus turned to find a Hot Dogling sitting nearby and wagging his fiery tail happily. "I didn't see you in the portal room."  
Anicetus shook his head, "No, we are visiting from another island. Maybe you can help us?"  
The canine Skylander stood up and wagged his tail harder, "Whatcha need?"  
"Do you know of a Fright Riderling named Kaelin or a Sunburnling named Galvin?" Eloryn asked urgently.  
"I sure do!" the canine said happily as he turned quickly and trot up to a Flameslingerling. "Hey, Rafer!" he called, "Where'd Kaelin and Galvin go?"

"Rafer?" Eloryn gasped. The Flameslingerling heard her and looked up from the Hot Dogling and back her way. "Rafer Bowen?"  
The archer's arms dropped down by his side and his eyes grew wide in recognition of the voice, "Eloryn Reve?" he asked.  
"It is you!" the Flashwingling said happily. She bolted at him in a flurry of white scales and knocked the elf over in her hurry. The Hot Dogling bound away laughing; his work was done sooner than expected. "Seraphina said she lost you and Teranika the day her Portal Master found me!" Eloryn grinned down at the elf she had pinned. "It has been almost two years since I last saw you!" The dragon happily nuzzled one of her oldest friends.  
Rafer chuckled and threw his arms around her neck, "It is so good to see you too cousin." His blindfold had already been removed and he was certain the Ignitorling that walked up behind the Flashwingling was Anicetus. "Where is Seraphina?"  
"We had a bit of a rough night. She is resting not far from here but we were hoping to bring Kaelin to meet her. How did you...?" He extended a hand when Eloryn moved and allowed Rafer to stand.  
"Get here?" Rafer finished for him as he took the Ignitorling's hand and rose up. "Mia, my new Portal Master, took me off the hands of my previous one. He was handing out Skylanders at her school and she got to me first. Imagine how surprised I was to find Kaelin and Galvin with her and to hear that they were awaiting this weekend to meet back up with everyone. Oh!" the Flameslingerling gasped, "They are trying to hail a ship! Mia is quite young and has not yet grasped the workings of portals so we rarely get to use them I am told."

"Where are they?" Eloryn danced around anxiously. "We should hurry in case Sean leaves Skylands!"  
Anicetus waved her off, "He is currently speaking to Hex, and I do not think he will leave any time soon."  
"Hex, she is still traveling with you?" Rafer asked in amazement, all he knew about Hex was how disgruntled she had been that night at Eon's Citadel.  
"Willingly at that," Anicetus said in an amused tone. "As I said, we have a long story for you. But I think it will be best told when we have all been reunited."  
Rafer tilted his head to the side, "Come with me. Kaelin and Galvin will be at the lair. We should get to them before they find a transport we no longer need."

"If we pool our coin with Rafer's I think we can make the trip," Kaelin murmured as he counted the coins he and Galvin had. It was ironic to be broke as Skylanders when before Kaelin had the coffers of his kingdom open to his every whim. The Riderling shifted his halberd, he should have just propped it up against the wall when he first came in. His helmet rang dully from where he had set it atop his weapon. It wasn't an ideal spot to store it but Kaelin wasn't worried about damage to either item with the temporary setup.  
The Sunburnling nodded as he looked over the measly pile of gold, they really needed to take on some listed tasks to build up a reputable amount. "Did you hail the ship?"  
"No," Kaelin shook his head as he collected the gold and put it back into the pouches it belonged in. "We have to promise the amount ahead of time for the one available ship I could find in the area right now." He pulled the strings tight on the pouches and slipped the one on a chain over the Sunburnling's neck before the other went back into his gauntlet. "Come on, we should find him before that ship too is hired out." He waved to the Sprocketling that was behind them to let her know she could use the booking terminal to find a ship willing to travel to her destination. It wasn't linked to Sky Arc but rather just to a database of pilots willing to hire their services to Skylanders. It was a perk of having a tech-styled lair, none of the other styles of lairs could boast about the ease of access to ships for hire. Not without renovations to include the terminal at least and the very young Portal Masters, like Mia, didn't understand the concept.

The door to Mia's modest lair opened and Stampede the Frightling attempted to muscle his way in as Kaelin and Galvin tried to depart.  
"Stamp, no!" Kaelin said in annoyance as the undead ostrich pushed his head up under Kaelin's arm and sandwiched himself between Kaelin and the door frame. "Suit yourself," Kaelin shrugged. He closed the door behind him and heard Stampede squawk in irritation and scratch at the door to be let out. The Riderling opened the door again for the undead mount. "You see?" Kaelin asked as he raised a brow and tapped Stampede in the chest with his halberd, "You thought you were pulling a fast one over on me." The ostrich strut out with his head held high and past both Riderling and Sunburnling.  
"That bird still has not learned manners?"  
Kaelin and Galvin both whipped their heads around in surprise at the voice. Alongside Rafer was an Ignitorling and Flashwingling, the grins Rafer and the dragon wore said the two new Skylanders should be familiar. Of course in their current states they weren't recognizable. The Ignitorling had been the one to speak and the voice could only belong to Prince Anicetus of Meir Valan.

"Do my ears deceive me?" Kaelin asked as his own expression split into a grin, "Is that Prince Anicetus?"  
"The one and only," the Ignitorling swept into a bow once he was before the Riderling. "It has been too long, brother," Anicetus said warmly.  
Kaelin embraced him with a laugh then turned to the Flashwingling, "Would I be wrong to guess Princess Eloryn?"  
"Not at all," she bowed as well. "It is good to see you again." She accepted Kaelin's embrace but her gaze moved to the Sunburnling behind him. "Galvin?" she questioned.

"Aye," he dipped into a bow and spread his red and yellow tipped wings out low to the ground. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Princess." A moment later and he found the Flashwingling's head under his chin as she nuzzled him affectionately. Galvin's eyes were wide in surprise and his first instinct was to look to her brother to ensure he wasn't being offensive. Anicetus didn't say a thing but Galvin was surprised that Eloryn didn't find his feathers scorching. "Princess, please," Galvin whispered to her as he muscles tensed to make his neck stiff. "All eyes are on us at the moment."  
Eloryn moved back at last and flashed Galvin a grin that would have set his cheeks on fire if they weren't already the color of it. "You are too easy to embarrass, priest!" The princess loved to flirt with the shy priest; he always had the best reactions. She did however miss seeing the color flush in his cheeks; his current state hid it very well.

"I just had a thought," Anicetus said as he turned to Rafer, "If the Portal Master that had you last personally handed you off to… Mia was her name? If that is true then Teranika could very well be in the area as also."  
"I have thought about that every night since we were first separated. I asked Mia every day if she had seen Sam again. It got to be where she stopped talking to me," the Flameslingerling sighed.  
Anicetus lowered his head as did everyone else. "We will find her, Rafer. We found each other after all."  
The Flameslingerling nodded slowly, still he kept his gaze down on the ground and the hand that drew back his bowstring kept flexing and relaxing in succession.

"Where is Seraphina?" Kaelin was anxious by then and Stampede had picked up his mood and mirrored it. Of course it could have also been because the undead bird didn't like too many people other than Kaelin. "Why has she not come with you?"  
Kaelin looked between Anicetus and Eloryn. The siblings exchanged a look with one another before Eloryn answered, "We have a very long story to tell you. Are you willing to come back to my Portal Master's island? He is also Seraphina's. There are others there that will want to meet you and the story is better if it comes from Seraphina's lips."  
The Riderling's only answer was an effortless swing up onto Stampede's back and a return of his helm to his head and halberd to the straps along Stampede's flank for storage. "Then let us travel."

Sean stood in silence before Hex, he had hardly expected her to apologize for that night he first met her. After all she was more intent on Seraphina than him, Sean felt more annoyed with the sorceress's treatment of his Hexling but she had not directly insulted him.  
Hex folded her arms across her chest, "Well? This dumb look you are giving me; what does it mean?"  
"I um, sorry," the holographic projection of the Portal Master shook his head. He glanced to the side as a commotion from further away drew the eyes of everyone. A gremlin covered head to toe in mud was hopping gleefully from one puddle to another while a group of angry Skylanders that had all been splattered with mud in some way followed him. Mud speckled Double Trouble was laughing as he held a shield up to keep the Skylanders from tearing into Pop Fizz while Crevan tried to calm the mob with words and Meilyr, whose armor was just as covered in mud as Pop Fizz's fur, tried to subdue the other gremlin. "For the love of," Sean growled. "Knock it off, all of you!"

Pop Fizz was crouched down for another hop and froze in place before he turned wide eyes up to the Portal Master. "Uh, sorry dude. Just couldn't help myself."  
Sean looked back to Hex, "I accept your apology," he told her before she thought he was ignoring her. "Thank you for taking the time to express your motivations." The human turned back to face the muddy quartet and the angry mob beyond them. "Get yourselves under control, we have more guests arriving."  
The Portal Master opened a portal about then, thankfully away from the muddy figures, and when Anicetus stepped through he stopped dead in his tracks. "What the devil?" the prince growled. The Ignitorling was nearly bowled over when Eloryn the Flashwingling came out of the portal next followed by Galvin the Sunburnling, Rafer the Flameslingerling and Kaelin the Riderling sitting astride Stampede.  
Upon seeing another like him Fright gave a gleeful squawk and pattered up to Stampede. The Frightling eyed his counterpart warily but didn't give him the treatment he would anyone else, that being a bite, scratch or head butt. Kaelin held his hand out for Fright to investigate when the original owner of the form jerked back and squawked at him. Fright sniffed it and nudged his beak up under Kaelin's hand in acceptance. The Riderling smirked as he gave the Core a scratch then simply let Stampede socialize with him.

"King Kaelin of Haven?" Spyro asked as he dropped into a bow. The other Cores present bowed as did the copies that knew the newly arrived Riderling. Murmurs ran through the rest of Sean's Skylanders and one by one they followed the lead the Cores had set.  
"Oh but a princess does not get such treatment?" Eloryn snorted to herself. No one had bowed to _her_ when she first arrived.  
"Rise, please. I am no king," Kaelin said as he dismounted and thumped Stampede on the scapula bone. His mount sauntered off alongside Fright, the Core seemingly leading the copy to his spots of interest. "I am the same as any of you, a Skylander." Kaelin looked around the group, mainly those nearest the holographic Portal Master. "Might I request names?"

"I'm Sean," the Portal Master said with a grin, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Seraphina talks about you a lot." Again Sean held his hand out, when he remembered he was a hologram he retracted it with an apologetic look.  
"Spyro," the purple dragon said proudly. "The one and only."  
"Rider, at your service my liege," the undead elf said with a short bow.  
"Hex," the sorceress said with an inclination of her head. It was obvious she was sizing him up.  
"I am only the best archer in all of the Skylands, sorry mon ami," Flameslinger grinned at his copy, "but as the original I am the best." He flinched when Stealth smacked him upside the head.  
"I'm Stealth Elf, it's a pleasure," she folded her hands in front of her for a straight-backed bow.

"Double Trouble," the tiki man said as he drifted by covered in eldritch energy. The mud that had spattered him seemed to dissolve with it. "And the mud monster is Pop Fizz. No, not the armored or hat wearing ones. The other one."  
"Hiya!" the gremlin waved furiously and flung mud over a sputtering Meilyr and Crevan.  
"Knock it off!" Meilyr snapped at Pop Fizz before he grabbed him by the flailing arm. "Good to see you again, Kaelin," he said only half-heartedly.  
"We have not met, I am Crevan from Hawk Ridge," the other Fizzling said with a bow.  
"It will be an honor to work with you again," the Voodoodling said with a bow of his own. "I am not sure if you remember me, I am Prime Niall Miach from Hawk Ridge." Recognition dawned on Kaelin's face and he gave a short nod.  
"Cynder would have been here but she isn't quite feeling too well," Spyro said slowly. "Camo too has business elsewhere."

"My, you have made some impressive friends," Kaelin turned a look of approval towards the copies he knew. "Let me introduce my company. Galvin Killian," he extended a hand to the Sunburnling. The hybrid nodded his head and flicked his wings out partially to balance himself. "And," the Riderling grinned, "Rafer Bowen."  
"Oh my god!" Sean blurted out as Eloryn grinned widely with the exclamations of surprise from Niall, Meilyr and Crevan. The Portal Master stared slack-jawed at the Flameslingerling. "How did you find him, where did you come from?" Sean hadn't told the others yet of Teranika, she was back in Meir Valan visiting her parents after finally leaving Commander Roghallach and Ghost Roaster.  
"Sam handed me off personally to my new Portal Master," Rafer replied.  
"Don't go anywhere!" Sean said as he ran off and rounded the lair building.

"Your Portal Master, he is flighty for an adult human, no?" Flameslinger commented to Eloryn as he turned his head to followed Sean's dash.  
The Flashwingling snorted, she didn't know Sean enough to understand anything he did. She shivered softly and became more interested suddenly. "He just opened a portal and brought someone in."  
"Who?" Anicetus asked.  
"How should I know? I just know they are linked to him too!" Eloryn snapped. Her head swiveled to the side when the hologram drifted back around the building. All eyes looked behind him in anticipation.  
"Well?" Hex asked at the same time as Eloryn. The two eyed each other like strange cats.  
Sean just grinned, he had nothing to say. The Portal Master's face was alight with the taunt of knowing something the others didn't know.

"What is everyone looking at?" a voice familiar to those from Meir Valan said.  
"Tera?" Rafer said in a voice that cracked. He turned so fast he nearly slammed into Galvin before the nimble elf bounded up and over the hybrid's back. Galvin was still terrified that his molten feathers would burn anything that got near enough and squeaked before the dragon and phoenix hybrid dropped to his belly on the damp grass. Still the grass hissed and steam rose from where the heat touched it.  
"Rafer?" Teranika asked in the same hopeful tone. "Rafer is it really you?" She made a choking sound when he wordlessly opened his arms for her. The Stealthling ran full speed at the Flameslingerling and fell into his arms with sobs that wracked her lithe frame.  
"You see, it is our destiny!" Flameslinger leaned in to Stealth to whisper. She smirked at him through her mask and planted her palm against his face to push him away.

Before long others had joined the couple. Eloryn was sobbing just as hard as Teranika as the two confirmed they were who they said they were and Anicetus picked up his cousin to swing her around with a laugh then tight embrace. Galvin timidly approached Teranika when Eloryn rammed him in the side, how his fiery feathers didn't bother her was still an unknown. Rafer wasn't left out either and he found himself embraced just as often. He didn't seem to mind the mud Meilyr passed on to him either. Double Trouble cleaned it up easily enough in any event.

"I got Teranika through Sam's father," Sean told Kaelin as he approached the Riderling who had kept himself out of the mass of reunited friends for the moment. "You must not be that far from me."  
Kaelin's face lit up with surprise, he had been so close to Seraphina the entire time? "Mia might be active if you can get to the island in time."  
"Mia?" Sean recoiled in surprise. "Young girl, long black hair and skinny as a rail? She kinda walks like a duck with her shoulders rolled forward?" The Riderling gaped at Sean. "Son of a," the human exclaimed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Excuse me. Oh and Seraphina is upstairs, third floor, fifth door on the right." Just like that Sean was gone.

"Just where do you think you're going?" a mabu woman screeched at Kaelin when he nearly knocked her over as he entered the lair.  
"Forgive me, pardon me," he apologized profusely as he bowed just as often. "I must get up to Seraphina."  
"And just who do you think you are?" the mabu said with her hands planted firmly on her hips and her stout frame between him and the stairs.  
"Kaelin Alistair, ma'am," he said with another bow.  
Cheryl's eyes grew as big as dinner plates. "What are you waiting for, lad? Go, go!" she shuffled aside quickly and waved the Riderling on when he gave her a bemused look. "Go, away with you! Go see her, oh she misses you!"

"What just happened?" Rider blinked in confusion. It had seemed like chaos from the moment Rafer was introduced and he as well as the rest of the Cores were left standing without a clue, much like Sean's other Skylanders that had gathered on the lawn.  
"We just witnessed their reunion, you know like we all had when we found our way back into Skylands?" Stealth answered.  
"I feel all warm and fuzzy now," Pop Fizz grinned as he hugged himself. "Anyone else want a hug?"  
"No," Hex snapped at him when the muddy gremlin spread his arms and came at her. She raised a bone wall without hesitation and glared at the magic element through it.  
"Wonderful first impression you made, by the way," Double Trouble chortled as he covered the gremlin in eldritch energy and dissolved the mud on him.  
"Aw, but the mud is fun to break off when it dries," Pop Fizz pouted.  
"You mean to be saying that you will still have fur left after pulling it out?" It was obvious by the way Flameslinger was trying not to laugh that he had pictured a gremlin sporting only patchy fur and bare skin everywhere else.

"Are you guys really the originals?" a Spyroling asked. Next to him stood yet another Spyroling, their doubt was obvious.  
"But of course," Flameslinger grinned as he folded his arms across his chest. "You are thinking a copy could be as comfortable in this skin as the original?"  
"What's that have to do with anything?" the second Spyroling said with a wrinkled nose. "I was a dragon before the change and I'm still one. I'm comfortable even if I look like Rork," he nodded his head to the first Spyroling.  
"I'm better looking than you," Rork gave him a toothy grin.  
Spyro walked up to his two copies and circled around them slowly as he looked them over from head to toe. Now that they mentioned it he could see some differences. The one named Rork was a bit more muscular than the other, maybe even more muscular than Spyro himself. It seemed that one action had opened the flood gates and the Cores found themselves surrounded by copies all talking at once. The Cores exchanged glances, that was why they tried to keep to themselves but they couldn't really blame the copies for their curiosity.

Hex managed to separate herself from the throng; she was met by not one but two skeletal ostrich heads. Fright was obvious; he cocked his head to the side and bobbed slightly. The other, Stampede, stared at her point blank. Hex knew enough about the former orniteryx to know he was foul tempered and didn't like most people in his space. Hex drifted backwards, Stampede stepped forward. "If you bite me, bird," the sorceress snarled.  
Stampede's head lowered and Hex fully expected him to head butt her or hiss. Stampede did no such thing; he stretched his neck out and nudged his head up under Hex's hand.  
The undead elf was dumbfounded, it liked her? The war bird _liked_ her? Slowly she stroked his bare skull and afforded the scene the smallest of smiles. Well, she could enjoy the company of the undead birds since they didn't hound her with a million and one pointless questions.  
Fright got jealous and Hex chuckled inwardly at having to pet each, she knew she looked silly with an ostrich rubbing against either arm or shoulder but vowed to hit anyone that looked at her funny with a phantom orb or two. Yes, animals were much easier to get along with than their talking people counterparts.

"Better be glad we don't have dogs!" Sean's roommate, Marcus called after him when he found the front door standing open wide in the growing dusk. Marcus's dark skinned hand hesitated in closing the door as he watched Sean bolt across the street without stopping for traffic. A few car horns blared loudly and nearly gave Marcus a heart attack but all Sean did was hold his hands up and continued with his mad dash. "You are one crazy ass mofo, you know that right?" Marcus muttered before he finally shut the door.

Sean leapt up and over the scooter that was laid out in the front yard and danced around the black flowerbed lining before he hopped over a few stepping stones and landed on the front porch. He was breathing hard, it wasn't that it had been a long run but more that he was feeling the anxiety of proving his theory right. He rapped his knuckles against the storm door, the door beyond it was open so he could see into the house and figured a knock was better than the doorbell.  
"Sean!" a blonde woman exclaimed. She hurriedly finished drying her glasses with the bath towel she held before she slid the wire frames back in place. "Is something the matter?"  
"Evening, Sarah," he said with a smile as she unlocked the storm door and let him in. "Nothing's wrong, it's just," he paused for a moment. Sarah was a Portal Master too; she simply let Mia be far more active than herself when it came to the Skylanders. "Um, it's about your Skylanders. Do you have a moment?"  
"I was just about to start dinner," Sarah hesitated.  
"I'll order pizza, my treat," Sean offered.  
"And when Fernando gets home?" she smirked.  
"Oh like he's going to argue about free food," Sean waved. He followed Sarah further into the house. "Where are the kids?"

"Mia's in the game room. Issac went with his father to pick up milk. And most likely beer," she said in an exasperated tone. While Mia was a Portal Master her younger brother Issac wasn't, he simply didn't have the bond with the Skylanders and it made him feel left out whenever his sister would talk about what she and her Skylanders did. Sarah wasn't their birth mother so it wasn't like she passed the ability on to Mia but not Issac. "Mia!" Sarah called, "Sean's here!"  
"Seanito!" the little girl cried as she came barreling down the hall. She had darker skin and hair than Sarah, another trait that showed they weren't biologically related. Well maybe it wasn't solid proof, the kids could have simply taken after their dad more.  
Sean was nearly bowled over by her tackle and stumbled back a few steps. "I swear you could be a football player if you weren't so skinny!"

"You going to eat dinner with us?" Mia asked as she twirled her hair around her finger.  
"Sure am, once I order it. Give me a moment real quick, I'll meet you in the game room ok?"  
"Deal!" the girl agreed before she ran off again. It didn't take her long to start calling to Sean to tell him this story or that or to look at the grade she got on a certain homework assignment. "Sean, look how far I got!" she said proudly when he finally came into the room. Mia was pointing at the game she was currently playing, she was only on the third level but considering the kids often replayed a level for months because the next one was 'too hard' Sean couldn't say much other than 'good job' to her.  
"Hey listen, Mia, I wanted to ask you something about your Skylanders." He glanced over to the active portal and clustered group. Sitting together was a Fright Riderling, Sunburnling and Flameslingerling.  
"Yeah?" Mia asked only half listening.  
"Mia!" her mother said suddenly from the door, "Put that on pause and listen to Sean!"

The girl paused the game and sheepishly turned to face Sean. "What about them?"  
"I see you have Fright Rider, Sunburn and Flameslinger. What are their names?"  
"Well the ostrich guy is Stampede," she said as she got up and walked over to them. Mia nearly picked up the figure she was talking about until Sean took her wrist.  
"No, leave them in Skylands. It's alright," he said quickly as he let go of her wrist. "And the elf that rides him is he named Kaelin?"  
Mia's eyes widened, "Yeah! How'd you know?" From the doorway her mother was suddenly interested and leaned against the frame to signify she wasn't going to leave any time soon.  
"And Sunburn, is he Galvin?" Mia's mouth fell open and she nodded her head again. "And Flameslinger, his name is Rafer and he has asked you about Teranika a lot, hasn't he?"

"How do you _know_ this!?" Mia exclaimed.  
Sean laughed and sat down on the carpet before he ran his hands over his face. "All this time, amazing." He looked up to the still standing Mia and smiled, "Because I have Teranika, Eloryn and Seraphina."  
"Oh!" Mia gasped. "They are looking for them!" she pointed to the three in question. "Can I have them?"  
"Mia!" her step-mother chided her.  
"It's ok," Sean said to Sarah. "I was actually going to ask if I could have Kaelin, Galvin and Rafer."  
"But, they're my friends," Mia began.  
"I know sweetheart, I know," Sean sighed. He couldn't very well ask her to give up her friends but at the same time their limited time in Skylands put a strain on relationships between the Skylanders. "I'll tell you what, how about we talk about this after we eat pizza? Can I play with you?"  
"The game, yeah!" Mia said with a hop, "You can help me!" She scurried over to the controllers and picked up the second before she turned it on and set the game to two players in the pause menu.  
Sean glanced back to the Skylanders; if he couldn't take ownership of them maybe he could convince her parents to leave the connection open constantly.

Seraphina was having the most wonderful dream; she heard Kaelin's voice and felt his gentle caresses on her face and shoulders. But she was also aware of the bed sheets she was wrapped up in, she was beginning to wake up and she wasn't ready yet. The Hexling tried to cling to sleep and the dream but the harder she tried the more aware she became of herself lying in bed. It wasn't until she felt the bed shift and she hadn't moved that she pushed sleep away and allowed her eyes to shoot open. The light was on; there was no natural light in the room anymore.  
But beyond that she saw a face smiling back at her. With a shriek Seraphina pulled back and basically threw herself out of bed and onto the floor. The helm was missing but she could still tell who it was. "Rider!" she said in disbelief. "What in the name of the Core of Light do you think you are doing in my _bedroom_?" She regretting having flung herself from bed, she was clad only in her underwear and tried to ball herself up for modesty. Rider laughed and moved to the edge of the bed she had fallen from before her slipped his armored legs over and smiled back at her. That laugh, it…it wasn't Rider. The Hexling furrowed her brow as she studied the smiling face. Not that she had seen Rider smile much but that wasn't his smile either. "How did you get in here?" she didn't really care what the answer was, she just needed the figure to talk.

"Oh Seraphina, I am so sorry. Perhaps that was cruel of me but you looked so peaceful sleeping there. I did not have the heart to wake you."  
The Hexling's eyes grew wide and she shot to her feet instantly, "Kaelin!" she said breathlessly. Once again she flung herself, this time right into his arms. "Oh Kaelin!" tears flowed freely as she burrowed her face into his armored chest. She thumped her fist against his breast plate, partially to make sure she wasn't dreaming and partially in frustration because it was between her and his chest.  
"I found you," Kaelin whispered softly. It was the loudest he could manage without his own voice breaking. He held the Hexling against him as her frame shook with the sobs. "I will never let you go."  
Seraphina managed to work an arm up and around his neck. The couple sat in silence for a while as Seraphina calmed her sobs. It was strange to see a barely dressed, weeping undead sorceress held in the arms of an undead knight in full armor who too showed signs of tears streaking his cheeks.

The Hexling shuddered one last time before she melted against the Riderling's chest. "Kaelin," she whispered. She shifted and pulled herself back enough to look him in the face. She adjusted herself on his knee and smiled softly as she brushed away the wetness on his cheeks. "I missed you."  
The Riderling cupped her cheek gently and smiled back, "Not a day passed in which I did not think of holding you again, of seeing your smiling face again." He kissed each of her eyelids when she closed them and moved a thumb over the trace of tears on her cheeks.  
"I-I have so much to tell you," she sniffled as she searched his face. She closed her eyes and reached out to him with her mind. It was the easiest way and hopefully his mind was still strong enough to handle the deluge of information she was about to share with him.

Kaelin shuddered when Seraphina finished sending information. He had seen everything through her eyes, as if he had been through it himself. Everything was laid bare for him; everything from the moment of banishment on through finding her Portal Master, the return to Skylands and the slow rebuilding of her friends. It moved on to new friends and situations. There was Hex's outburst in front of her parents. Uzern came into the picture, the first trip and the restoration of Anicetus's and her psionics. How Spyro and Cynder too found all of their abilities unlocked as well. The second trip to Uzern then followed the drow invasion and the Shadow gargoyles of course the reason for it. Then the psionic journey with the very Cores Kaelin had spoken with outside. When Kaelin opened his eyes he found himself sitting on the bed in his room back home in Haven. When he looked to the figure in his lap he saw the golden skinned and hair maiden that had set his heart aflutter from the very first time he saw her. "You set this up?"  
"I wanted to spend a little time with you as I remembered you," she smiled and ran her hand over his cheek. His hair was so light when compared to his skin and seemed to glow. Seraphina's eyes closed as Kaelin tilted her chin up for a tender kiss.

The illusion was held for a while longer before a knock on the door brought them both back to reality. Seraphina sighed as she ran her hand in circles over Kaelin's armored chest, "Who is it?" she called out.  
"Ani," her brother answered. "Are you alright?"  
"I am fine," Seraphina smiled to Kaelin. "Let me get dressed and I will be right out." She gave the Riderling one more kiss, it wasn't as strange as she thought it would be now that they were together.

Anicetus shuffled to the side when the door opened and Kaelin slipped out with his helm under his arm. The Ignitorling's flames turned a very bright shade of pink suddenly. "Oh, sorry," he murmured.  
"Your imagination has gotten the better of you," Kaelin grinned as he moved down the hall to wait on Seraphina. "Where are our other friends?" Kaelin meant Teranika and Rafer specifically but any answer would suffice.  
"Downstairs, everyone came in when Sean's other Skylanders pushed in on the Cores with enough questions to make my head spin." Ever so slowly the normal orange color of his flames was returning. "Stampede likes Hex," the Ignitorling said in amazement.  
"He does?" Kaelin was just as surprised. "Then that brings the tally to four," the Riderling grinned.  
"Yeah, four," Anicetus grumbled. He wasn't one of those people Stampede liked.

Both of the menfolk looked up when Seraphina's door opened and the Hexling emerged dressed in a lavender gown of princess style rather than priestess. She had put her hair into a simple braid down her back and wore the circlet that named her as the eldest princess of Meir Valan.  
"Just as radiant as always," Kaelin said with a short bow and hand extended for her. The Hexling smiled as she slid her hand into his. "Come, Galvin is waiting to see you," Kaelin prompted.  
"And we have a surprise for you," the Ignitorling's flames turned a happy yellow.  
"A surprise? Will it top waking up to find someone sitting on my bed?" Seraphina smirked at Kaelin.  
The Riderling laughed heartily, "Maybe not but it will come close."

The door to the lair opened and closed in rapid succession. For just a moment the clamor outside increased in volume. By the time the occupants of the common room turned around they saw Pop Fizz with his back against the door and eyes wide as dinner plates. "Too many questions!" he gasped, his left eye began to twitch. The gremlin leaned harder on the door when someone tried to open it from the outside.  
"Open the door!" a voice from outside pleaded.  
"No!" Pop Fizz barked. "The crazies will get in!"  
"That's the pot calling the kettle black." That voice was obviously Hex.  
"Open it or I go through the window!" the first voice, Stealth, warned.

"Open the door!" Meilyr gasped. He and Niall both made a move towards the Core that had single handedly blocked the only way in and out of the lair; barring windows of course.  
"No!" Pop Fizz protested as he turned around and took hold of the doorknob for his final stand.  
"You act like you have never dealt with copies before," Niall grunted. The Voodoodling dropped the halberd he carried instead of Voodood's axe and tried to pry the gremlin's large, furry fingers from the knob.  
"But I have, duh," Pop Fizz grumbled. "These guys are different than you guys!"  
"Let go you oaf!" Meilyr grunted as he pulled on the Skylander he was a copy of.  
"Having trouble?" Eloryn laughed. She, Rafer, Teranika, Galvin and Crevan stood off to the side and watched the antics unfold.

"Please let go of the door, Pop," a voice said from the direction of the stairs.  
That was all it took, Pop Fizz let go and ended up sitting on top of Meilyr while the Fizzling flailed under him and the Voodoodling just stood there gaping. "You used the magic word!" the Core said brightly to Seraphina as she came down the stairs.  
"Not even your door and you're going to block it?" Stealth muttered as she flung the door open. It bounced off Pop Fizz's elbow and she had to catch it before it hit her. As soon as the life elemental was inside the rest of the Cores trickled in.  
"Ooga booga, doogan mog!" Double Trouble said with a wave as he shut the door. The tiki man cleared his throat, "After not talking like that for a long, long time it's kind of hard to settle back into it."  
"Next time I'm going to do that if it gets people to leave me alone," Rider smirked. "Will Fright be okay outside?" He turned to face the direction Seraphina's voice had come from. He had to admit the sight of her hanging from Kaelin's arm made him do a double take. It was himself and Hex only, well, Hex had no intentions of ever being like them. Rider could dream though, couldn't he?

"Fright will be fine," Seraphina smiled. She hugged Kaelin's arm a little tighter as she looked back to him. He returned her smile. Anicetus tried to slip past them without interrupting the warm exchange but they had stopped so close to the stairs that he was forced to simply stand behind them.  
"You're going to make me sick," Hex grumbled.  
Seraphina's gaze swept the gathered group once Meilyr had finally shoved Pop Fizz off him. "Oh Galvin, you are magnificent!" She smiled at the Sunburnling, she wanted to embrace her old friend but his smoldering feathers made it impossible.  
"I am a fire hazard," he said sheepishly with the shuffling of his feet.  
Seraphina continued her visual sweep of the room and her posture stiffened at the sight of an extra Flameslinger and Stealth Elf. "We have company?" The sudden grins she saw on the faces of just about everyone in the room sent a chill down the Hexling's spine.

"We have the most unbelievable story to tell you, Sera," the Stealthling grinned.  
"Teranika!" she gasped with both hands suddenly over her mouth. The Flameslingerling whose arm she was hanging off could only be, "Rafer? But how?" Seraphina sputtered once her hands had been moved. She forgot Kaelin for just a moment and darted out to embrace her cousin and oldest friend.  
"Yeah, I myself would like to hear this story. After all if we're going to be seeing a lot of each other I would like to get to know you a little more," Spyro grinned as he watched the exchange. It felt good to see smiles and hear laughter amid the group he had seen such hardships with.  
"We are going to be a peculiar group, non?" Flameslinger motioned to all the copies. "I am seeing opportunity to finally get back at Camo and certain other sneaky rats."  
"We both have stories to tell," Rafer told Seraphina. "I think ours will be easier to relay though."  
"We have had adventures, no doubt," Seraphina said as she stepped back from her cousin and friend to return to Kaelin's side. "And they are not yet over."


	45. Catching Up

**Catching Up**

The room was silent even with the amount of persons within it. Furtive glances were exchanged and someone cleared their throat. A chair creaked as a body shifted in it. The lair was silent, no one drifted through the front door nor up or down the stairs to the apartment rooms. The only occupants were those seated in the common room around the holographic image of the young Portal Master.  
"Banned from the city?" Krystal said at last. The Portal Master was at a loss. How could Skylanders, the heroes of their realm, be banned from one of the cities they fought to protect? Her holographic image looked at each of the banned Skylanders. She had either sent away those not involved or had returned them to Earth so she could speak in private with Windy's group.

"I-I don't know," Windy said dejectedly. "We didn't damage anything! And we found the bad guys."  
"This is the thanks we get?" Scorch snarled. "See if we ever do them a favor again!"  
"But, we didn't," Polo blinked. "We turned against our allies and had to be saved."  
"We are being punished for the initial trespass, not the ensuing traitorous acts we committed."  
"But Mystic, we didn't know we were doing wrong." Ashlina reminded her.  
"So a child that takes his mother's gold jewelry simply because he thinks it would look pretty hanging from the tree where a stranger then takes it has committed no wrong? Just because he didn't know it would be taken means he's not at fault?"  
"Well you're not helping anything, Timber," Scorch snorted.

"Please, just be quiet," Krystal sighed as she rubbed her head. "I will visit the Queen of Haven, but tomorrow. I will be here at first light and we can go from there."  
"But, we can't enter Haven, why would we come?" Windy looked just as depressed as she sounded. She didn't even look up when Sprint moved in next to her and put her arms around the Whirlwindling's neck.  
Krystal looked out from the fingers she had against her temple, "What happens if you try?"  
"We find our legs weak enough to give out and land us hard on the ground. The only way we can move is backwards before the spell eases up. The city of Haven is off limits to us, the island itself is not included. We could wait at the docks," Steek suggested.  
"Oh yes, I just love looking at sweaty dock workers," Scorch rolled his eyes.  
"I already knew that," Polo snickered. He ducked under a claw swipe and snarl from the Spyroling.  
"Knock it off," Mystic said as she picked up the Wrecking Balling and held him under her arm. Polo stuck his ridiculously long tongue out at the Spyroling and nearly smacked him with it before Mystic grabbed it, pulled it out farther and let it go so Polo would retract it quickly.

Krystal was anything but amused by the antics. "You guys had better behave when I leave you at the docks, I'm trying to help you, you know!"  
"Sorry, Krystal," Scorch said as he lowered his head. He was thankful for her and didn't want to take her for granted or insult her enough to make her want to be rid of him.  
The human made to sigh again, "Look I've been grounded enough to know that sometimes you can't wiggle out of it. I'll do what I can but no promises, alright? Maybe I can at least get the ban from Haven lifted. I mean if you have to do a month of patrols do they expect you to teleport in and out daily? And say something happens and I can't use a portal to get you back in for a day's or more work. Will the queen hold that against you? Are you going to work in shifts? I don't know what to expect!"  
"All questions we should have asked ourselves, my apologies Krystal," Steek said as he knelt before the Portal Master.  
"Stand," Krystal grunted. "I hate it when you do that. I'm your friend, not an overlord." She got up from the stool she had perched on and began to pace in the room with a shake of her head. "I'm not mad at you guys. Just the situation. I'll try to make it better, I promise. What about this friend you made, Windy? The princess, Seraphina, where was she?"

"They said she wasn't feeling well," the Whirlwindling replied. "Does that mean something happened to her, is that why the queen was so mad at us?" Windy's eyes grew wide at the thought; did Windy bring upon harm to Seraphina? She winced and prayed with all her might that it wasn't how things had happened.  
Krystal wanted to comfort Windy but as she wasn't there physically all she could do was reach out as Sprint hugged the hybrid harder and Ashlina moved to sit on the opposite side with a sympathetic look. "I'll get answers to all these questions and more. I'm, I'm going to let the others back in when I leave. If anyone wants to return to Earth for the night let me know."

The address couldn't be put off any longer but when word had come from the dungeons that the drow that had orchestrated the occupation of Uzern, the warlock Asmodeus, was gone it had set everyone on edge. Elanniah needed to get the address out of the way and get to work on the problem she was keeping from leaving the small circle of people that already knew. The queen held council with her son, Commander Caoimhe, Archmage Eilir and Overseer of the Guard Edan. Edan had promised he would keep his guards silent, particularly the one that had originally found Asmodeus missing. The Archmage herself would be working on tracing the whereabouts of the drow providing he was still wearing the collar that stilled his ability to cast. Prince Ceron offered to work as a liaison between the Skylanders and Haven; he would travel if need be and seek out the aid of the Cores that had already been into Uzern and understood the situation. Queen Elanniah was so very tired of the whole thing and knew that it wasn't over just yet.

The sun had finally sunk below the horizon by the time Queen Elanniah, dressed in a scarlet dress accented by silver lace, approached the balcony above the palace entrance made for addresses such as the one she was about to give. The balcony was up on the third floor level so she would be viewable for a fair distance beyond the palace plaza. The balcony was fairly bare and only the railing around it had any sort of decorative properties. The balcony was made so those below would have an unobstructed view of the king and queen. Silver mage light illuminated a sea of faces, so many of them were repeated at random intervals and very nearly outnumbered the eirian faces that caught the light with their metallic skin and seemed to glow themselves. The plaza had been opened for the crowd but a triple wall of soldiers kept the crowd from getting too near the palace or any of the royal buildings around it. The bulk of the crowd though was outside the open palace gates and in the square beyond. Only eirian elves watched the scene from windows in buildings with more than one floor.

Prince Ceron stood on the queen's right; he was dressed in a dark green coat with silver embroidery and cape to match. His boots were shined enough to appear as black mirrors. Behind the Prince and Queen was Commander Caoimhe, the silver skinned and lavender haired elven woman was just as stern looking as she had been during battle. She had opted to wear the armor she used to march into battle and her hand sat easily next to the hilt of her sword. On Caoimhe's left was Archmage Eilir, she was a pleasant faced eirian with copper hair and charcoal colored hematite skin. The Archmage carried a very plain staff made of volcanic obsidian topped with a large white pearl. She appeared at ease and confident, the commander looked wary and ready to leap to protect the royal family.  
"Eilir, if you would please," Elanniah said softly to the archmage. She heard the mage murmur a soft incantation and felt her staff thump the stone.  
"You are good," the Archmage nearly whispered.

"People of Haven," the queen began in a voice amplified by magic, "Skylander guests, I welcome you here tonight and apologize for the late hour of this address. As you all know Uzern, the city in the elfwood below us, was recently besieged by the forces of Kaos; drow that sought to set up an outpost in our lands. Skylanders were involved in the efforts to rebuke the drow and reclaim our holy land. The rumor circulating about the Core, Ghost Roaster, devouring one of the spirit guardians of Uzern is true. The rumors of wayward Skylanders first discovering the drow occupation are also true. Uzern is holy land, to walk its streets without having first approached the proper individuals to gain access is a violation of our law. The Skylanders that broke this law did not do it willingly, they had no knowledge that such a law existed. Both of these issues are grave manners and I have dealt with each of them swiftly and fairly." The queen became silent as the crowd came alive with the cacophonic noise of countless conversations.

"You will be _silent_!" Commander Caoimhe roared. She seemed to loom out over the balcony and threaten anyone that would question her. Abruptly the conversations died down and all that could be heard was the soft howl of the cooler night air. A part of the commander wanted to believe someone in the plaza or square below had a hand in the escape of the prisoner but she would withhold her suspicions until they knew more about it.  
Elanniah picked up where she left off, "Untrue are the rumors that Haven's army has set out for the Core of Light to seek Grandmaster Eon for retribution. Also false are the whisperings of Haven sending word to other kingdoms of Tour that they are to join us and mobilize against the Skylanders. Word has reached me of many, many rumors. Ghost Roaster has not been executed nor have the Skylanders that originally trespassed into Uzern. I have not ordered a further curse to be put on anyone that banishes them permanently to Earth and disallows them use of portals. I have not found a way to breech the boundaries between our world and that of the Portal Masters to force them to serve me," Elanniah seemed highly annoyed by that last rumor. "Ghost Roaster's punishment is as follows," the queen explained.

Ghost Roaster pulled tighter the brown, hooded robe he wore. Next to him Commander Roghallach was dressed the same on the off chance someone would recognize him as the ghoul's escort. "I never heard any of these rumors!" Ghost Roaster gaped in surprise.  
"You were too preoccupied as we traversed the city," Roghallach answered softly. The queen was explaining in full detail exactly what she had demanded of the ghoul for his crime. "There were many, many more. The queen has merely addressed the direst." Roghallach glanced to the side when he saw a Trigger Happyling pull out a golden gun. The commander's eyes widened and he grabbed Ghost Roaster by a skeletal arm before he approached the small of stature gremlin.

"Come with me," Roghallach said firmly to the gremlin when he clamped his hand over the golden weapon. The gremlin looked surprised and let his normally erect ears droop down.  
"Is something wrong?" a Sprocketling asked next. She leaned to look past a Drobotling's wing. The dragon looked nearly unrecognizable with his robotic suit missing. The muddy color of his feet was repeated in a band around his eyes and the black of his claws made up the color of the crest of spikes on his head. "Commander Roghallach?" the golding said in surprise. She looked beyond the eirian and saw a glint of a very familiar bright eye in the deep shadows of his companion's hood. "Sprocket, the original," she whispered with a finger pointing to herself. "Cores Drobot and Trigger Happy," she motioned to them in turn.  
"All of you are coming with me, right now," the commander demanded.  
"What have you done now, Trigger?" Drobot asked in his real voice. Without his robotic suit everything about him was natural.

Commander Roghallach swept through the crowds while the queen spoke; her topic had turned towards Windy's group. She never mentioned names but Roghallach knew who she meant. The commander found a decent alley and stepped into it just barely. He pulled Trigger Happy around in front of him and shooed the gremlin in. Ghost Roaster trailed the eirian still due to his arm held firmly in Roghallach's hand. Sprocket and Drobot moved in next and Commander Roghallach put his back towards the opening of the alley to block the Skylanders. He didn't let the group go in so deep as to look suspicious and draw attention but he did want them to be away from the crowd. He flipped his hood back in one fluid movement so the Skylanders could clearly see his scowl. "How did you get _that_ into the square?" Roghallach pointed furiously at Trigger Happy's gun.

"I brought it with me, duh," the gremlin rolled his eyes.  
"When word went out of the meeting it was clearly stated that all weapons must be left behind. Any found still in the possession of the owner would be confiscated upon entry and the offender taken into custody until it could be sorted out."  
"We know," Sprocket said with her hands up in a soothing gesture, "That's why Drobot left his suit in the room back at the inn. I did the same for my gadgets," she said as she showed Roghallach her bare arms and lack of belt pouch.  
"And him?" Roghallach growled as he pointed back to the little orange and cream gremlin. "If someone else had seen that weapon they might have taken it as an assassination attempt!"

Trigger Happy's eyes grew wide in surprise and the smile melted from his face. "No! Oh no, no, no, no! That's not what I was gonna do, you gotta believe me!" he pleaded. "I was bored, the queen talks a lot. I was just gonna clean my gun, that's it!"  
"You brought a gun to a meeting that was specifically stated to be weapon-free," Roghallach hissed in a furious whisper. If anyone over heard the conversation the whole thing would be blown out of proportion. "How do you _think_ someone would view it?" He had narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as he spoke to the gremlin. "How did you get it past the checkpoint?"  
Trigger Happy did the impossible again and seemed to simply stow the gun in his fur as if he had pockets.  
Roghallach's back stiffened as he looked at the gremlin in disbelief. "How did you do that?"  
"It's a secret," the gremlin said as he lowered his eyes and swung one of his feet in circles.

"I think it's a secret you should give up, Trig," Drobot said wisely. The dragon looked so small without his suit and the lime green of his eyes nearly glowed in the mage light that drifted around the gathering.  
The gremlin gave a great sigh before he grabbed at his fur near the waist and pulled it out. He twisted it and made others flinch and look away. "You see now?" he asked.  
"I don't believe it. Pants?" Sprocket asked with wide eyes. She saw the waistband now that he had turned it out. "You wear pants that are colored and…furred, just like you?"  
"Can't go naked and anything else would clash!" the gremlin replied with a little grin. "This is one secret my copies haven't given away yet I guess. The pockets are enchanted, I can put as much in them as I want and they'll _always_ look empty. I can put anything in of any size. Where do you think those safes I lob come from?"

"Fine, now that you have explained how you did it. Why did you do it? Are you _trying_ to get the Skylanders in trouble?" Roghallach questioned.  
"Oh please don't," Ghost Roaster said meekly. "It's not worth it."  
"Well I wanted something to do. If I keep my hands busy my mouth stays shut while I'm trying to listen."  
"The gremlin is telling the truth," Drobot said reluctantly.  
Roghallach ran a hand through his fiery hair. "The insanity that so infects your group," he muttered.  
"Makes us loveable!" Trigger Happy chirped.  
"Makes you frustrating. If I see a gun out again while we are in the crowd I will personally turn you into the guards. Do I make myself clear?"  
"Crystal," Trigger Happy squeaked.  
"You are to stay with me until I have walked you back to your inn. Do you understand?" he included Sprocket and Drobot in his sweeping gaze.  
"Yes sir," Sprocket stood at attention. She had no problem with the Commander; it was really only Trigger Happy she was worried about.  
"Good, now we are going to rejoin the others and listen to the rest of the queen's address."

"It was at that point Sean fled Skylands," Rafer finished the story of how he came to be with Kaelin's Portal Master and the reunion with Teranika.  
"Sam's father handed me off to Sean. He must be close to us both," Teranika added. She squeezed Rafer's hand and gave him a warm smile. The common room of the lair was populated only by the Cores and closest friends of the trio that was under Sean's care. Teranika sat on one couch with Rafer and Meilyr, Crevan stood next to them. Kaelin sat in a large plush chair with Seraphina happily perched on his lap and Eloryn had surprisingly settled down on the floor next to Galvin. Stealth and Flameslinger were at another couch while Rider stood nearby and Hex had a chair to herself. Double Trouble drifted around the room looking at things on shelves as he listened. Anicetus seemed restless by the way he paced about in the room behind nearly everyone else. Spyro had found a divan to sit upon and shared it with Pop Fizz. The gremlin didn't stay seated for long. Niall had to move away when the Core rolled over backwards to flip himself off the furniture.  
"I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Group hug!" Pop Fizz exclaimed as he attacked Meilyr and Crevan with a bear hug.  
"Stop doing that!" Meilyr protested as he tried to pry the other gremlin's arm off his shoulder. Crevan looked amused. "You did not spend all that time in the mindscape with him wearing your face in his colors," the Fizzling grumbled. Meilyr gave a grateful look to Double Trouble when the tiki man took Pop Fizz by the ear and led him back to his seat next to Spyro.

"What do you think it means?" Rider asked as he took a seat next to Flameslinger and Stealth on the couch. The archer made to shove him off and Rider merely shoved him back before he took the helm he had under his arm and swung it into Flameslinger's chest. The elf grunted and simply sat back without a fight after that.  
"He seemed to know Mia, our Portal Master," Rafer said to Kaelin. The Flameslingerling and Riderling exchanged a meaningful glance.  
Hex drifted by in front of her copy and the Riderling whose side she appeared to be glued to suddenly. She cocked her head to the side, "You should tell them what we've been through. What we've seen, Sera."  
It surprised both Rafer and Teranika to hear Hex refer to Seraphina in such a friendly way. The way they remembered her was furious over being 'burdened' with the Hexling.

"Show them, Seraphina," Kaelin prompted. "Show them what you showed me."  
She shook her head, "No, they could not take it. It would be too much information too fast. But I can still demonstrate." She slipped out of Kaelin's lap and moved into an open area of the room. "Spyro, you like a bit of a theatrical presentation every once in a while, correct?"  
"Uh, yeah?" the dragon asked. He hardly understood why he would have anything to do with it.  
Seraphina waved at him in a beckoning manner, "Shoot a fireball at me." Of course it got the room to come alive with questions and warnings about the danger it posed. The princess wasn't worried about it; Seraphina would simply stall the projectile in the air with her psionics then make it dance around the room before she forced it to snuff itself out. Or that had been the plan.  
"There's not really enough room in here without me burning the lair down…" Spyro replied as he looked around. "I don't think going back outside is a good plan." Spyro glanced to the now curtained windows. They could hear the murmur outside from Sean's other Skylanders.  
"Flameslinger, you are always willing to put on a show. Care to take aim?" The princess prompted with her arms held wide.  
"When did you become so eager to get hurt?" Rafer asked as he stood up from where he had sat next to Teranika. Ironically they were across from their originals so it looked almost like a mirror image with a few differences of course. He held his hand out to keep Flameslinger from standing. "What point are you trying to make?"

Seraphina chuckled; she had everyone's attention by then. "I suppose I do not have to make it a grand presentation. Let me try something else, then. Everyone is familiar with Hex's abilities?" She formed a phantom orb in her hands and looked to Hex, the elven sorceress raised a bone wall out of the floor and both of them summoned the skull rain. The attack was snuffed before it could be finished and Seraphina let her phantom orb fizzle out while Hex reversed the bone wall summon to leave the floor unmarred. "What else can you do, Hex?"  
"Kaos blocked everything else when he banished us. Just like for Spyro and Cyn-" Hex stopped talking immediately and her expression shifted suddenly to something akin to having seen a ghost. She looked first to Spyro then back to the Hexling. Hex appeared to think about something then shook her head, "You come with me later. Show them first what you were going to show them," Hex threw her arm out towards the assembled group that was still waiting on Seraphina before she moved back to her plush chair and sat down. The elven sorceress's brow furrowed in thought and she propped her chin on a folded arm.

"Well, what is it?" Pop Fizz whined. He had sat himself on the floor like a kid at story time and crossed his legs before he took his feet in his hands and rocked back and forth. "Don't leave us hanging!"  
"Well if you still want to be flashy," Anicetus chuckled. He snatched a pillow out from behind Meilyr and tossed it into the air. The object simply stopped near the height of its flight. Anicetus reversed the flow of time so it traveled back to the starting point. Because Meilyr had leaned back on the couch by that time it plopped down right on top of his head.  
"Not funny, Ani," the Fizzling grumbled before he picked the pillow up and chucked it at the Ignitorling. Anicetus laughed and stopped the pillow in midflight before he plucked it out of the air with his hand and dropped it at Meilyr's feet. If the prince's display didn't click with the others what Seraphina did next certainly did.

_No matter what I do it will still be flashy_, Seraphina smirked as she spoke into the minds of everyone assembled. For some of the Cores it was the first time she had done so and it startled them to hear her voice so close to them while she was clearly standing elsewhere.  
"Your psionics!" Galvin squawked in surprise and jumped to his feet as he looked between the Hexling and Ignitorling. The Sunburnling danced around and nearly bumped into Eloryn's crystal wings. "That means, but Kaelin lost his…"  
"Uzern," the Hexling said as she sat back down on Kaelin's knee. "I will start with the first trip to Uzern. There are events before it but they are in the past now," she turned to Hex, "Things are better now."  
Hex gave the barest nod of her head, the closest thing to a 'thank you' as she was going to get without actually voicing it.

Haven wasn't known for its nightlife but with the presence of so many Skylanders it was active that night.  
"All of the inns are full," Roghallach stated as he came out of the fourth one to turn them away. "I hope you are not opposed to sleeping under the stars." He swept past Ghost Roaster and avoided a mud puddle on the way back to the paved street.  
"Nope," Ghost Roaster shook his head. "No problem. Stars over my head or a roof, there's really no difference."  
"Your friends were lucky they had the foresight to pay for two nights," Roghallach said as he looked up to the sky. Thin clouds scuttled through the indigo expanse and were no threat for rain. "We will have to go outside the city. They will take us for vagabonds if we bed down anywhere on this side of the walls."  
"Can't you get a room in the palace?" the ghoul asked as he followed the commander. Roghallach always seemed to move with that standard elven grace yet he was also as alert as a cat.  
"Yes, I can. So could you as a guest. Would you care to waltz into the palace while so many Skylanders are still milling about in the square?"  
Ghost Roaster shook his head, "Not especially, no." The ghoul groaned and drifted off after Roghallach with slumped shoulders and a sway to his upper body, he really wasn't looking forward to getting up the next day to finish his message delivering. So far none of the spirit's surviving descendants had accepted his offer of servitude and the ghoul was nearly certain he was going to end up serving the crown itself.

Roghallach glanced to the Skylander; his punishment was emotionally draining and could very well manifest itself into physical exhaustion. The ghoul was holding up well though and had worked out an easier method for him to explain why he was approaching the elves. "With luck you will finish early tomorrow," Roghallach said. Perhaps it wasn't the most encouraging words he could have spoken but it was something.  
"Haven is beautiful," Ghost Roaster said suddenly as the duo crossed a gently arching bridge. "And elven foods are eclectic. There are so many culinary secrets I could learn and teach!" the ghoul said excitedly. "If none of the family accepts my offers of servitude would the queen perhaps take me on as a chef for my sentencing?"  
"If you enjoy it that defeats the purpose of it being punishment."  
Ghost Roaster sighed, "Of course. How silly of me." He glanced out the corner of his eye at the military commander. How strange it was for him to personally see that Ghost Roaster adhered to his orders. Any military personnel could have done it but the Commander himself, particularly when he wasn't even a resident of the city they were in? Olav couldn't complain, Roghallach was decent company. He provided conversation and direction when it was needed. Ghost Roaster was being punished but yet the elf he traveled with treated him as an equal. He was hopeful that there would be no hard feelings between them once he had served his sentence.

The guards posted at the city gate raised up their helms and looked away from their game of chess to watch the Skylander and Commander pass. Roghallach held up a hand and nodded to them when one made the move to stand. The guard nodded in return and sat back down before he shifted the oil lamp on the table they had been using to illuminate their game.  
Haven was the name of the island and the city that dominated it. The island was sizeable but it was obvious Haven wasn't the largest capital city and would never be as such with a limited area to expand towards. It was still one of the great elven kingdoms and if any elf of Tour was asked they would say that even though Uzern had its own borders and name it was still part of the capital city.  
"I had a nice spot the other night not far from here," Ghost Roaster said once they were out of the city. "But I think it might be wet now thanks to the rain."  
"I have a comfortable place to camp," Roghallach said as he led the Skylander on.

Ghost Roaster blinked, "Why would you _ever_ have to camp outside of the city?"  
Roghallach laughed and turned a reluctant grin on Ghost Roaster. "When the daughter of my king was being courted by Kaelin, the currently missing king of Haven, her father sent me to ensure nothing would happen to his daughter. I could not very well take a room inside the city where I might be recognized. As a soldier I am accustomed to sleeping on the earth as easily as a bed. I would spend the nights out here and mingle with the residents during the day to glean information about how the king was treating my king's daughter."

"Overprotective father, much?" Ghost Roaster said dryly.  
"King Hayden has one daughter that is a notorious flirt and the other that did not seem to understand the difference between genders or how to respond or react to advances. He merely wanted to make sure Seraphina would not allow herself to be taken advantage of or on the other side of things drive a potential suitor away."  
Ghost Roaster understood part of it but had to suppress the urge to laugh at the other half; oh he was pretty sure she would have learned real quick how to handle herself. All the women he knew were strong figures that knew exactly what they wanted and how to get it.

"You are sure the drow have been removed?" Kaelin had to ask; it was his kingdom after all that was threatened by them. Seraphina squeezed his hand again, she knew only as much as he since she had been shunted from Skylands for most of the day.  
"Yes," Anicetus replied. "Your mother sent patrols into Uzern to make certain. The spirits are extremely active now following the invasion and have requested an Orb of Sending to communicate through should anything happen again."  
"What does that mean though for my requested presence, if I free the spirits from their oath to my ancestor then they cannot stay on to protect Uzern."  
"When should visit Uriel tomorrow," Seraphina answered. "He will have all the answers to your questions."

"I don't quite think I'm ready to set foot back in Uzern yet," Stealth admitted reluctantly. "I mean, it's great for what it did for Spyro and Cynder to give them back all of their abilities but…" the elf trailed off.  
"Ma chère, are you scared?" Flameslinger grinned and threw an arm around her.  
"Honestly? Yes," it seemed like it took a lot from Stealth to admit it. "Things are too fresh on my mind. Maybe later but I think I will sit this out."  
"We _all_ will sit this out," Hex spoke above the other replies that people had begun. "This doesn't concern us. When you have the time, Priestess," Hex said to Seraphina, "I would like you to come with me to my Portal Master's island. Cynder has said she wants to talk to you before she returns."  
"Can I convince you to stay the night?" Seraphina asked. "I will come with you at first light."  
"I will stay _here_," Hex pointed to the floor. "I will not go with you back to either of the kingdoms though."

"Then let me show you to rooms that you may use," Seraphina nodded. She rose to her feet and looked around the Cores, "Any that wish may also stay here. Or we will find you rooms at the palace. I plan to spend the night in Haven after seeing Auntie and Uncle in Meir Valan," the Hexling said to Teranika.  
"I am staying in Meir Valan," Anicetus nodded. "I will help anyone that wishes find rooms there."  
"As am I," Eloryn agreed as she rose to her feet. The way she glanced over her shoulder towards Galvin made the Sunburnling nod back quickly.  
"We will think on your offer," Spyro said with an indication to the rest of the group. He fully planned to either follow Seraphina to Haven or stay with Hex; he too wanted to see Cynder.

"I can't very well ask her to give up her friends," Sarah sighed to Sean. She sat out at the patio table with him and one other, a large thick necked fellow with his right arm fully covered by tattoos and his left a work in progress.  
The new individual wore his dark hair cropped close and his trimmed goatee was peppered with white. He moved the cigarette from his lips and blew out a stream of smoke. "We shelled out a lot of cash for those things." Fernando wasn't a Portal Master, just like his son. He didn't understand their plight and only humored his daughter and Sarah about their experiences. He held in his other hand a can of beer that he rose up for a drink then pointed to Sean with his first finger, "I'll sell em to ya. Twenty bucks a pop," he laughed.  
Sean pulled his own beer away from his lips, "Sold."  
"Pinche puto," Fernando rolled his eyes, "I can't sell my kids' toys like that. They love em."

"What if we worked out a deal?" Sean spoke more to Sarah; she would be the easiest of the pair to convince as she understood their plight.  
"Look, I completely understand where you're coming from. But it's Mia and Issac you need to be having this talk with. Work out something with them that's fair for everyone involved and bring it to us."  
"Seriously, after how hard you worked to hunt down that one red bird, dragon guy?" Fernando sat up in the patio chair with a creak.  
"He's resurfaced in the stores, Fern," she told him nonchalantly. "I can get another." She felt guilty at saying that. Get another, that would put them right back in the same position. They would have another Skylander who was left waiting for the weekends to get back into Skylands. She _had_ to leave the portal up and running but how? Fernando would yell at the kids if he saw the toy lit up and the magic needed to make it work was so weak it needed the toy portal to be active before Sarah or Mia could open the _real_ portal for their Skylanders.

Sean finished his beer and stood up, "I'll go talk to the kids then and see what kind of deal we can work out." He opened the door and stepped inside.  
Sarah turned right to Fern. "I think we should leave the portal on."  
"Lunita," he said referring to her nickname, "it wastes electricity when it's on. I can't afford it, _we_ can't afford it."  
"The heating and AC are turned off completely when no one is home and you insist on having the porch lights for the front and backyard on all night while the kids get to sleep with a closet light and that hall light on all night. This uses about as much electricity as an alarm clock, Fern. I know you don't understand what Mia and I are talking about but those little figures aren't just _toys_ to us. They're people."

Fernando shifted again in his seat and took a long draw on his cigarette. "You're the magic user in the house. You can figure it out I'm sure."  
Sarah rolled her eyes, "I read angel oracle cards. That is different than making the portal work. I've asked my angels how I can help them, believe me," she grumped. "The portal is the key, that's all they show me."  
Fernando was silent for a while, "I didn't mean to upset you," he said at last. "Issac and I, we just don't get it like you and Mia do. It makes Issac feel left out and it frustrates me. I read the cards too, why can't I work the portal like you and Mia? And Sean, he thinks angels are only something you hear about at Christmas but he can work the portal!"  
The cards had nothing to do with it; Sarah wasn't sure how it worked. "I don't know, Fern, I don't know. I just can't sit here anymore knowing I'm keeping those poor people away from their families."  
"Alright, alright," the man said soothingly. "I can let the portal stay on if you can get the kids to turn lights off as soon as they leave rooms."  
Sarah almost told him it _was_ her to remind them nine times out of ten but as she had just won a victory she opted to keep her comment to herself. "Thank you." The relief flooded onto her face as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders.

"If we get something cool for them we should trade them Mia, come on!" Issac was urging his older sister. He was leaning on an old broken stool held together by a screwdriver slipped through the slots that were meant to be used to adjust the height of the seat. "Would you buy me that really big water gun they have on TV?" the boy asked. He was dark haired and tanned skinned like his sister and father.  
"Maybe," Sean said. It was obvious Issac saw the Skylanders as bargaining chips.  
Mia on the other hand looked back to the three Sean wanted. "But then I couldn't talk to them," she said. "I would miss them."  
"You could come see them whenever you wanted," Sean offered. "You could come to my house or they could visit you in Skylands."  
"But, what if you go out of town like on a trip? Then how would I see them if you didn't tell them?"  
"Maybe we could figure out something to get a message to them. Maybe your Skylanders could find them to tell them."

Mia didn't seem like she wanted to bite. "You can think about it a while, that's ok Mia," Sean told her.  
"It'll be like my mom."  
Sean froze in the act of getting up. He sat back down on the floor to listen, Sean knew Sarah wasn't her birth mother and Fernando had told him the story many a times about their divorce. It was hardest on the kids. Issac either got bored or decided he didn't want to hear the conversation so he left the game room to play with toys in his room.

"Mom never calls and gets mad when I tell her that. I never see her anymore. I miss her. It would be like that with the Skylanders you want. I would miss them; they're my friends."  
"I'm sorry," was all Sean could say. He was torn between the wishes of the child and the strain the curse left on the Skylanders themselves. It was a terrible position to be in and he was right in the middle of it. If only he could convince them to leave the portal on always then everything would be solved! Sean sat in silence with Mia; the decision was completely up to her. He would let her ask for whatever she wanted if she decided to let him take Kaelin, Galvin and Rafer.

"Home," Teranika said as she walked into the rooms given to Rafer in return for his service to Seraphina. She had her own rooms in the palace, closer to Seraphina's but she had chosen to stay with Rafer that night. Rafer's rooms were obviously a bachelor pad. The walls were bare except for an assortment of weapons he had mounted. As a ranger he had traveled a lot so he did have a few items given to him by gargoyle clans or other such settlements in the wilds. His sitting room needed help though, it was two couches that looked like they never saw use and a bare table between them. She hadn't even been into the one room that branched off the sitting room. Rafer's rooms weren't as large as those in the hall reserved for the royal family so he had only his sitting room and bedroom. But it was enough for Teranika and she didn't think they would be staying in the same rooms once they could spend more time in Meir Valan.

The Stealthling turned with a smile when she felt Rafer's hands on her shoulders. "It is so good to be back, is it not?" The rooms could be fixed later.  
The Flameslingerling smiled as he ran his hand over her cheek. "The first time we have been home since we were married at that impromptu session. We should have a real ceremony, for your parents."  
Teranika sighed happily and closed her eyes as she cupped his hand to her cheek, "We will. Once we are sure we have settled. Soon I hope," she opened her eyes again. "We are all together again, truly."  
Rafer closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Teranika's. He knew he had only one more night with her and two days before he was pulled from Skylands for a week. It ached terribly and while he hadn't told Teranika it would happen he was fairly certain she knew. Teranika's soft hand rubbing his chest made him open his eyes again.

"I missed you," the Stealthling whispered before she kissed him.  
"And I you," Rafer said softly with his lips close to hers. She smelled as he remembered her but her hair was straight now rather than curly. He held her tighter and enjoyed her embrace, it had been less than a week but the stress and worry had kept him exhausted. Now that he had his wife back he never wanted to let her go. "I love you, Teranika," Rafer whispered into her ear.  
"I love you," her reply was soft and feathery just like her touches. "Come, the night is still young." Teranika took him by the hand with a smile and led him deeper into the rooms.

It was late into the night before Kaelin and Seraphina finally moved into his rooms to retire. Elanniah had been overjoyed to see her son again and Ceron was just as ecstatic for his brother's return. They had stayed up later than anyone had meant to in order to catch up. The hour was already late by the time Kaelin had returned, Seraphina had spent a fair amount of time with her Aunt and Uncle in Meir Valan before she set out for Haven. Time had simply gotten away from everyone as they talked, laughed and got caught up on what the other party had been up to.  
Events weren't all laughter and smiles though, the disappearance of Asmodeus worried Seraphina more than it had the others. There was so much to do, so many loose ends to tie up. Would it ever end?  
"I still have to meet with Hex about whatever it was she wanted to talk to me about _before_ we go visit Cynder. And you have to address the people of Haven," Seraphina said to Kaelin once they were finally alone. She wanted to mention the escaped drow warlock but at the moment there was nothing they could do until Kaos made his move, if it was indeed him that had freed the prisoner.

"Go; see to them in the morning. We both have things we need to do then we can meet back up." The worry was evident on Seraphina's face. "I am not going to disappear on you," Kaelin said soothingly as he took the Hexling in his arms. "I will be right here waiting for you when you return. After I address the people I will get straight to work on the issue surrounding this Asmodeus character."  
"Close your eyes," Seraphina smiled at the Riderling.  
Kaelin complied and reveled in the feel of her hands along his arms and chest. It had been the first time he could remember in which he wasn't dressed in Rider's armor. "What have you got up your sleeve? I can feel your presence in the back of my mind."  
"You still feel psionic influence as easily as before; your talents must be simply locked away." If only she could unlock them, Kaelin was unknown to Asmodeus so they would have an ace up their sleeve if he returned before they were ready.  
Kaelin gently took her by the hand. "No Seraphina, do not wear yourself out on my behalf. I will wait until we visit Uzern to see if they can do the same for me." The Riderling knew she was worried; she wanted to protect all the people of Tour and keep Kaos from getting to any psionic minds.

"Give me just this, then," Seraphina murmured against his lips. She kissed her lover softly and held him against her tightly. When Kaelin finally opened his eyes he saw Seraphina as he first met her, with her natural eirian skin tone and hair like spun gold. He looked at his own hand to see it as he had always known it.  
"Are my eyes really open or have you taken us into one of our minds?"  
"They are open," she smiled at him then kissed the knuckles of his right hand. "You were willing of the suggestion so it worked quite easily. Everything you experience is real, not of the mindscape."

Kaelin inhaled deeply and looked around the room; it had been ages since he was last in it. He led Seraphina by the hand as he went to every corner and every shelf to touch and feel his belongings for the first time in years. The plush carpets that covered the stone floor were just as he remembered. The tapestries that hung from the walls displaying vistas of the elfwood and Haven above were just as vibrant. "So many memories, even the familiar smells are comforting. Has it really been two years? I have missed so much in the kingdom; I do not feel as if I deserve the title of king."  
Seraphina pressed her front to his back and wrapped her arms under his. "We just need to get caught up on everything. You are still the king, my love. You have a task awaiting your attention already; one that is tied inexorably with what it means to be a Skylander."

"Two years is a long time," he sighed. "A long time to be away from familiar places and warm faces. It is a long time to have my heart calling out. It has been an eternity that stood in the way of our desire to bind our hearts through ceremony."  
The elven maiden let go of Kaelin so he could turn to face her. She was surprised by the vigor in which he kissed her but had no complaints. "Goodness," she said breathlessly when he finally let her go. "I think you might have started my heart again with that one," she laughed.  
"We have been undead for too long if we have begun to use humor like that," he said sadly as he moved a stray lock of hair behind her delicately arching ear. "But yet, I do agree. I feel alive again like this. Thank you, perhaps our senses are fooled at the moment but to feel like everything is as it should be makes me glad."  
"I can show you more," Seraphina promised with a familiar light in her eyes.


	46. Returning

**Returning**

Sunlight peeked into Krystal's room, she had purposely left the curtains open so it would rouse her with its light. Every single one of the Skylanders that had been to Uzern had opted to be taken out of Skylands for the night. It wasn't enough or Krystal to take them out though, she had moved all the figures into her bedroom to be sure they got peace and quiet like they wanted.  
With a yawn the Portal Master woke and stretched. Her hair was all sorts of disarrayed and her bed clothes were wrinkled from sleeping on them.  
"Good morning," Ashlina said softly.  
Krystal was startled at first and clamped a hand over her chest. "Mornin' Ashlina," she yawned again. "Anyone else up?" There was no answer as she waited. "Well I'm going to go eat and get ready. If they wake up before I get back just let em know where I am." Krystal slid out of bed with another great stretch and yawn. What did people wear to meet a queen? She had one real nice dress but dresses were horrid to be stuck in all day long. She could think about that later, first nature was demanding her attention.

By the time Krystal had returned from breakfast and brushing her hair as well as teeth her room was abuzz with conversations that the other occupants of the house never heard because they weren't attuned to the magic that made the Skylanders.  
"We're all coming to the island with you," Windy said as Krystal picked up the Whirlwindling. She absently straightened Windy's scarf.  
"I thought you had already decided you were going to," Krystal said as she looked back to the other seemingly lifeless figures on her nightstand.  
"Some of us were unsure," Scorch answered. The bitterness in his voice was all the explanation the Portal Master needed.  
"The trip will be long by ship, unless you can manage to find a copter for rent but those are _rare_," Mystic reminded her. "Most have been deemed too dangerous and ordered decommissioned after Kaos's failed attempt at using arkeyan technology."

"I have plenty of time," Krystal shrugged, "I'm not worried about some long trip. Worried about what to wear, yes."  
"Girls," Scorch snorted.  
"Jealous?" Polo's tone said he was grinning. "Admit it, you'd rather be one."  
"Oh, and what would you know about girls? Bet you haven't even dated one!" Scorch shot back like a petulant child.  
Krystal sat Windy back down with an eye roll and took herself out of the conversation as she turned to her closet. If need be she would just pick out her favorite go-to clothing. A pair of black knit slacks and a long sleeved blouse. It was her 'at least it's not a t-shirt and blue jeans' outfit.

Meilyr rolled out of bed at the hammering on his door. Literally, the gremlin rolled over in an effort to tuck his head under his pillow and landed hard on the floor. His large yellow eyes shot open wide as he gasped for the air that had been driven from his lungs. Who in the world would be hammering on his door at such an unsightly hour? The gremlin yawned and pulled himself out of the tangle of sheets he had made with his fall. The light wasn't all that strong in his window; didn't people know how to sleep in?  
"Light! I am coming! Keep your knickers out of a bunch!" he shouted sourly at whoever it was. The hammering never ceased for even a moment as the Fizzling moved through the hall that connected his bedroom to his personal study and sitting room. He missed that aspect of palace life; his rooms were more than just a single area with a bed. The door was vibrating from the force of the knocks when Meilyr finally reached it. "What?" the gremlin hissed as he opened it furiously.

Meilyr took a hard knock to the nose and stumbled backwards. "Sorry!" Pop Fizz gasped.  
The Fizzling held his face and looked on the Core in amazement. "How did you get into this part of the palace? Only the royal family and those assigned to them are granted access to these halls!"  
"Said I was lookin' for ya," Pop Fizz shrugged.  
"Sloppy palace guard will be hearing from me," Meilyr growled under his breath. "Well?" he asked as he looked back to the gremlin. "What do you want?"  
"When's breakfast, I'm famished!"

Meilyr's shoulders slumped and even though his fur hid it the color had drained from his face. "That is it, _that_ is what you wanted to find me for!"  
"Well they wouldn't let me into the wing Prince Anicetus is in to ask him. And when I asked for the princess's room they nearly threw me in the dungeon! Stealth is out in the courtyard training with Flameslinger and they don't know. Don't even seem to care they haven't eaten," Pop Fizz seemed scandalized by that fact. "Your friends Rafer and Teranika aren't up yet and everyone else is either back on that Portal Master's island or went to Haven with your other sister. Oh, or not in the palace."  
"Wish I was not up yet," the Fizzling grumbled. "Let me get my armor on so they can tell us apart and I will take you to the kitchen for something."

"It has been too long," Niall Miach murmured as he stood before his open wardrobe. The Prime High Priest of Hawk Ridge had returned home for the night. Hawk Ridge was a short trekker ride away from Meir Valan so he could afford to take it. The Voodoodling reached out and ran his thick, green fingers over the robes he used to wear when he was an eirian. How strange it was to be an orc at the present, his build was completely different. No amount of tailor alterations could make his eirian clothing fit his orc frame. He grumbled as he folded his arms over his broad chest, his elven grace was gone and replaced by brute strength. The orc stared at the hanging garments a while longer before he closed the wardrobe and moved to the wash basin and its mirror back. The eirian and most other elves naturally didn't need to shave; facial hair simply didn't appear on their skin. The shaving mirror was more of a decoration rather than functional item. Still it allowed Niall to look on the face he had worn for two years and would wear for light knew how much longer.

"Still a strange sight," the priest murmured to himself as he dragged a green finger under one of his orange eyes. His expression was stuck in a perpetual grimace and his smiles always looked sinister because the orc's natural downward turned mouth. Niall ruffled the shock of brown hair he now possessed, darker than his sandy elven hair but it was the closest thing he had to who he used to be. On one hand the priest felt silly for keeping it styled how he was used to wearing it but on the other hand it let him feel connected to who he used to be. "Too many times have I sat in front of a mirror and had this very conversation with myself," he grunted at his reflection. Niall put a hand on the glass to block his sight and stood up. He could brood over the loss of his identity some other time; it wasn't going to change simply because he wanted it to.

It was early morning; the sun was still a burning orange-yellow ball sitting just above the trees that decorated the lawn of the temple. Niall opened the shutters on his window to let the light and fresh morning air in. The room was stale but considering it had been two years since it was lived in that was to be expected. The Prime turned back around to get himself ready for the day, the garments he had worn the previous day were freshly washed and neatly pressed. They hung on the back of his bedchamber door where the initiate that had done it placed them while Niall still slept. When he had the chance he would visit a tailor to make garments to keep there in Hawk Ridge as well as on his Portal Master's island.

A knock sounded on the door, "Allow me a moment to dress," Niall answered. The orc made short work of the task and had settled the stole over his shoulders before he opened the door to greet his visitor.  
"I heard you had arrived late last night," Teague Amergin greeted him with a bow. The half-eirian had his long black and gold streaked hair down that moment and didn't seem bothered by it when it rolled over his shoulder. "Have you a moment for breakfast?"  
"Of course," Niall smiled warmly. Or at least he tried to; his standard orc grimace probably twisted it into a completely different expression.  
"Myrna will not be joining us," Teague said as he stepped aside. "She is out with Lan traveling to Star Pointe."  
Niall closed the door behind him, "Star Pointe, is this a trip of leisure or business?" Niall felt so out of the loop.  
"Both," Teague commented as he walked with the orc through the halls. "She goes to discuss Uzern and the Skylanders."  
The orc's posture stiffened. "Which side of the fence does she sit on?"

"She sides with the Skylanders," Teague answered with a smirk. "We have heard the same rumors you have no doubt. There have been a fair number of Skylanders here in the city as well trying to feel out our opinions. Uzern was a blow but the Skylanders defended the ancient city in the end. Their methods may not be completely agreeable but there is no cause for alarm."  
"You speak of events as if I myself were not there."  
Teague laughed, "You are one of us, Niall. No matter the face you wear." He thumped the orc in a bicep. "And what a strange face you wear!"  
"The better to scare the initiates with," the orc gave a wiry grin as he turned a corner.

Rider looked up from where he sat in Sean's common room when he heard someone enter the room.  
"I forget how early you rise," Double Trouble said with a yawn. "Fright's staring through the window like a lost puppy."  
"I can't keep him _off_ the furniture. He can make puppy eyes all he wants!" Rider said loudly. He watched the tiki man float into the kitchen to dig up something to eat. "The pantry is fully stocked too," Rider called out when he heard the refrigerator door open then close. Double Trouble hummed tunelessly to himself as he found something suitable and Rider's eyes drifted back to the stairs as Hex flowed down them. The sorceress nodded to Rider and glided into the kitchen where Double Trouble gave her a cheerful good morning.

"Did anyone bother to ask at what time the priestess will return for us?" Hex questioned. She was simply anxious to bring up the thought she had been holding since the previous night when Seraphina had revealed her psionics to her companions. She felt a twinge of guilt over that fact; it was mainly for Cynder she was supposed to be expecting Seraphina's return. The undead elf went straight for the coffee machine sitting on the marble countertop. Undead or not she had made a cup of it her morning ritual every chance she got. It was strange; really, coffee and alcohol were the only substances Hex could consume that would affect her. It was a guilty pleasure; the only thing that made the undead elf feel alive. Hex grinned inwardly at being the first person to utilize the coffee pot, which meant anyone else that had a cup would have to deal with how she liked her coffee. Hex loved it black and bold. The more bitterness and bite the better.

"Candy? How old are you, Double Trouble?" Rider's incredulity was enough to make the tiki man laugh.  
"Old enough to know better but also know I can still get away with it on occasion!" The tiki man happily popped a handful of gummy bears into his mouth. "Anyway, Seraphina said she would return around sunrise. Keep in mind other things may call her attention." The tiki man was verily grinning and bouncing happily as he devoured another handful of sweet and chewy candies.  
"I cannot take you seriously when you're bobbing around like a kid and stuffing your face with sweets," Rider smirked.  
"Want some?" the magic element beamed as he held out the bag. "Got plenty," he added with a shake.  
Rider held up a hand, "I'm fine, thanks." Hex seemed oblivious to the whole thing as she carefully measured out her coffee. Rider personally preferred tea over coffee but even he knew that she was adding so many grounds she was going to wind up with sludge over half the counter top. "I think I'm going to stretch Fright's legs. I will be out on the island if you need me," the elf said as he turned and left the kitchen. Rider had already eaten after all; it was pointless to stick around.

"Have you been waiting long?"  
Spyro looked up to see the Riderling Kaelin standing in the hall. He looked vastly different without his armor on. Spyro had seen Rider dressed as a country lord in the mindscape but the undead elf wasn't undead then. The Riderling before him could have been a completely different person in Spyro's eyes. Kaelin was dressed in a white silk shirt with a maroon jerkin set over it. There were clasps and tassels on the shoulder, obviously a point to anchor a cape that he seemed to be missing. There was also a series of golden chains draped in gentle arches from one breast to the other on the jerkin. They were more ornamental than functional. Kaelin's breeches were the same maroon color as his jerkin and ended in golden cuffs before they met his tall black boots, they were nice but had obviously seen wear judging by the creases.  
Kaelin's dark hair was longer than Spyro had expected, Rider kept his short cropped so it sat under his helm comfortably but Kaelin's was past his shoulders. He hadn't noticed it the night before. "Not too long, where is Seraphina?"

"She will be joining my mother, brother and I for breakfast shortly. You are more than welcome to sit with us as well. She intends to return to Sean's island once she has eaten. If she can hail her Portal Master it will be a short trip."  
Spyro looked down the hall, back towards the area he wasn't allowed to travel. The silent guards had relaxed with the presence of the Riderling. "Yeah, sounds like a plan. You'll have meat, right? No offence but elven bread, cheese, fruit and milk aren't going to get me going."  
"Your preferences were taken into account," Kaelin chuckled. "You will be cared for, my friend."  
"Wait," Spyro said as he fell into step with the Riderling. He had just realized that Kaelin hadn't included himself in the return to Sean's island, "You aren't coming with us?"  
Kaelin shook his head and his dark hair swayed, "No, I have not been home in two years. I need to address the people. Mother is only holding the throne for me, her rein has ended and it was only my absence that had reactivated it. I need to let my kingdom know where I have been and why things are as they are. Some king I am if I will only be fit to rule for two days out of the week."  
Spyro looked down at his claws as he walked alongside the elf, Spyro was lucky to have a Portal Master that was able to keep the connection open constantly. "I'm sorry; I forget that Skylanders isn't the only thing for a lot of members. How do you balance the two?"  
"Seeing as how I have been an absentee king it has been very easy," Kaelin answered softly. "I can only hope and pray that things change in my favor."

Stealth sighed and ran the towel over her face; she was going to need a bath no doubt. Her breathing was hard but in control, she could still hear Flameslinger panting. He was a superb archer but his swordsmanship needed work. Luckily his pride was spared by the fact it was only Stealth that had seen the performance and backed him into a corner. "Your feet need to move a bit more. You're too used to taking your time to line up a shot, you don't have that extra time in close combat," the life elemental said as she tossed the towel around her neck. Ok, now the fire elemental was simply showing off. When he had removed his shirt earlier Stealth had nothing to say, but watching him spend more time than was necessary to towel off made it glaringly obvious he was still in the mindset of needing to impress her. "Alright, Adonis, I get it," Stealth said with the shake of her head. She kicked up his shirt with a foot and snatched it out of the air before she threw it to him. He was an elf so he was all tone and lean muscle; it gave him a feline grace rather than brute strength. Stealth, like any female elf, could appreciate a streamlined appearance. The goliath drow were the only elves that weren't in that category.

"Adonis? Who is this Adonis?" Flameslinger asked. He let his shirt strike him in the shoulder and ignored it as it fell back into the dust of the practice yard.  
"Character in mythology for one of the ancient cultures on Earth. What, your Portal Master isn't the scholarly type?" she grinned. The confusion on his face meant he hadn't understood the compliment she had just given him. That only made Stealth's mask covered grin grow wider. "Come on, we should hit the showers then meet up with the others."  
"The showers?" Flameslinger's tone was nearly giddy.  
"Don't you _dare_ get any ideas!" Stealth hissed. If he pushed her past where she felt they should be then he was going to ruin all the progress he had made in her eyes. He seemed to forget that you couldn't joke about the same thing you did with the _guys_ when you were with a _lady_. Stealth put the dull practice blade back on the weapons rack and took Flameslinger's from him when the elf showed an uncharacteristic clumsiness and couldn't seem to put it back on the right way. "Light, you're hopeless," Stealth muttered as she shoved him hard in the shoulder. "Get your shirt unless you plan to greet the royal family like that," she tilted her head towards him.  
"Maybe the queen and princess will enjoy it, non?" Flameslinger grinned and stood with his hands on his hips.

Stealth's eyes rolled, "Get the shirt or I'm going to leave you standing here all by yourself. I know you didn't bother to pay attention to all the turns we took to get here. You want to get lost?"  
Flameslinger scooped his shirt up quickly and donned it in a hurry before he scurried through the door to the palace behind Stealth. "I am not liking the thought of being taken as some random lookie loo that is lost," he replied just as fast.  
"Good, because if you get kicked out of the palace I'm going to claim I don't know who you are," Stealth teased. She couldn't help but laugh at Flameslinger's scandalized expression. Yes, it was definitely a welcome change of pace to be so comfortable around him that she could taunt him.

The sound of the engine drowned out most other sounds. There was a murmur of conversation but unless one listened carefully they didn't hear a thing. Steek had planted himself by the door that led to the cockpit; he could still hear Flynn yammering on about something that the Ignitorling could care less about. Why Krystal wanted to hold company with the vain mabu the fire element would never understand. Why _was_ Flynn so conveniently near their island when they needed an arkeyan vehicle for quick travel? Flynn liked to stick his nose where it didn't belong, that's what Steek thought. He had probably found Krystal's island and was looking for an excuse to head back towards Tour; an excuse which they had provided him by requiring his services.  
"What does it mean when your flames are grey?" Polo asked as the Wrecking Balling waddled up to the Ignitorling and sat down. He cocked his head to the side, grey fire looked rather ghostly.  
"Huh," Steek said as he turned to look into the glass window of the cockpit door, it reflected a little and he could just barely make out his pale grey fire. "I was thinking about Flynn using us as an excuse to stick his nose back in events around Uzern. He must want to find information that he can pass off to make himself look as if he's in the know." Steek had no idea Flynn had been in Uzern, all of his information was second hand and apparently the mabu had been run off before things got out of hand.

"So it means you're brooding and stewing in dark thoughts, gotcha," Polo nodded. "You ever wonder why Cali isn't always hanging around with Flynn?"  
"Probably because she can't stand him and if it isn't a full scale movement against Kaos she has better things to do."  
"Aww, she's cute. I was hoping to travel with her for a while," Polo pouted.  
"I don't think she's your type," Steek's flames turned into an amused light orange tinted yellow.  
"Got ya to grin," Polo's face split into a wide grin of his own, "Or do whatever your version of a smile is."  
Steek chuckled and reached out to rub the top of Polo's head, "That you did you crazy little grub."

Ashlina was curled up on the floor with her head resting on her paws; her eyes were open as she listened to the conversations around her. Windy and Sprint were discussing home, the place they had grown up and wondering how people they knew were. Mystic and Timber were comparing how different the lives of arkeyans and nature spirits were while Scorch butted in every chance he got to add his comments about dragon customs. Lunar was sitting by herself with her nose buried in a book. Every once in a while she would make some random comment to one of the groups to settle any arguments that started to pick up steam.

"You're quiet."  
Ashlina's head rose as she looked to Lunar, she hadn't expected the undead elf to spark conversation. "Just thinking."  
"About what?" Lunar closed her book to show she was willing to engage in a social exchange.  
The dark dragon pushed herself up into a seated position. "What we've seen, what we're about to do. How all of Skylands knows about us even if, thank the light, our names are still obscure."  
"I wonder what Kaos will do with the information," Lunar sighed. "They didn't want to talk about it much but I heard the gargoyles whisper that a few drow not in Uzern had very sensitive information about the clans and locations. They were furious over their inability to stop the messengers."  
"So, this mess isn't over yet?" Ashlina's shoulders slumped and even though her wings were tucked at her sides they hung just a little lower.  
Lunar shook her head, "Not our problem. We have patrol duty."  
Ashlina looked back to the others of her group, completely oblivious to one another and focused on their own conversations. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Unless the battle comes to us we're just bystanders." Ashlina wasn't so sure she was comfortably with that. It would mean her punishment interfered with her obligations as a Skylander. Krystal would need to be informed so the issue could be brought up.

"You said at first light."  
"Good morning to you too, Hex," Seraphina said with a raised brow the moment she set foot into Sean's lair. Sean wasn't available yet, it had been through the grace of Spyro's Portal Master that she had been able to arrive in a timely fashion. "Good morning Rider, Trouble," she nodded to the other Cores.  
"Mornin'," Spyro nodded to them as well. "We… have a problem."  
"Oh lovely," Rider sighed. "What has happened?"  
"Asmodeus is missing," the purple dragon said. "Queen Elanniah has explicitly ordered this information to stay among us. I mean those of us that were in Uzern in the company of Seraphina. The rest of the Cores are left out for now. We _can't_ afford a panic."  
"After I meet with Cynder I will be returning to Haven. My siblings and the others are already there. I would like Camo to meet with us."  
"Leave him to me, Princess" Double Trouble thumped his chest.

"Are you assigning us to another mission?" Hex questioned with her arms folded over her chest.  
"No, _I_ am," Spyro stepped forward. "If Asmodeus is missing you can expect him to retaliate, with or without Kaos's support."  
Hex looked from the dragon to Double Trouble then Rider, each of them nodded before she looked back to Seraphina. "I suppose we will be working together again."  
The princess nodded in return, "I would very much like that. This time it will not be in the mindscape, or at least I intend to prevent it from going there."  
Rider moved to retrieve his helm from the end table he had set it upon. "What do you know so far?" He didn't put it on yet but knew departure wouldn't be too long off.  
"Whatever magic allowed his escape was not wielded by him. Not without the removal of the silencing collar. Had he removed it I do not understand why it was not found discarded in his cell. Kaelin will hold more information for you; once he finishes his address to the kingdom he will open investigations. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated," the Hexling said to her original and Double Trouble.  
"Cynder first," Hex stressed. "You owe her a visit," the sorceress pointed to her copy.

"I am coming with you; I can have a portal opened to Haven for Rider and Double Trouble." The purple dragon moved to the door, "Get Fright so we can move out."  
Rider slid his helm over his head and adjusted it before he opened the door and vanished out onto the lawn.  
"Cynder asked to meet with Seraphina. Not you," Hex at least had waited for Double Trouble to follow Rider before she spoke.  
"Then I will wait away from the meeting. But I intend to see Cynder before she comes back to everyone else."  
Hex made a face but eventually conceded with a nod. "You will wait until _after_ we have spoken to her."  
"I can extend my patients that much further." It was obvious Spyro was annoyed by how Hex was taking his suggestion. Why was she such a mother hen all of a sudden?

"Welcome back," Prince Ceron nodded to the newly arrived Rider and Double Trouble. The group stood in the practice yard that Stealth and Flameslinger had used earlier. It was away from the public eye and would make the perfect arrival spot for portal use. "I can show you to the stables for your mount. Does he need a stall to himself or will he do well with others in a pen?"  
"He will do well with others," Rider replied. He kept staring at Ceron, he'd never met the prince before but he looked so very much like the form Timber had last taken. Ceron simply had shorter hair. "You look just like your brother," the knight finally said.  
"Oh, you knew Kaelin before the change?" Ceron asked. "Ironic how he now looks exactly like you." The prince held his hand out for Fright to sniff. The ostrich was friendly enough and bumped his head up under Ceron's hand for a quick rub before he walked around Rider to stand on his left side.  
"Yes, ironic," Rider smirked. He didn't feel like going into detail on how he knew what Kaelin looked like. If Seraphina hadn't told the story then he certainly wasn't going to.

The animal pens weren't too far from the practice yard and Fright was left in a large pen with Stampede and a few other ostriches. Stampede technically was an orniteryx and usually couldn't be left alone with the ostriches but since the transformation he had been mellower; at least around other animals. "Nearly everyone else has already arrived. With the exception of Seraphina and Hex of course. Niall has gone to find Crevan, the Fizzling returned to his family's island and without another Skylander linked to the same Portal Master apparently the search has to be more of a physical one," Ceron finished with a shrug. He wasn't learned in the ways of Skylanders obviously. "Spyro and Niall have the same Portal Master so I assume that is how Niall knows we are gathering and to find Crevan. More so the same Portal Master will be how they arrive here."  
Double Trouble nodded to the palace guardsman that turned full around and walked backwards as he stared at the tiki man. It still amused the Skylander to see the reactions of others when he passed. "Can we expect to learn all you know only after we have all assembled?"  
"No," Ceron shook his head. "While my brother makes his address I am going to work with Archmage Eilir in the dungeons. Anyone with talents in magic is more than welcome to join us. Your input will be much appreciated."  
"Then I humbly request that we begin as soon as possible," Double Trouble said eagerly. He tucked his staff against his shoulder so he could rub his hands together. "The sooner we learn exactly what happened the sooner we can prepare."

Rider nodded to a few other guards that passed by him. He had a feeling the bows they gave to him were actually meant for the Riderling Kaelin. "Where might the others have gathered?"  
"In the room behind the balcony the address will be given from," Ceron replied. "I will take you to Archmage Eilir, Skylander Double Trouble, she and I will be heading towards the dungeon soon. We were hoping Niall would have arrived by now. His expertise in magical signatures would be extremely useful."  
"We can afford to wait," Double Trouble said. "I would enjoy bouncing theories off the priest myself."

"This is not a Portal Master island," Spyro commented the moment he had arrived with Hex and Seraphina. The island was about the size of a small house without any buildings on it. There was a small cave with an entrance that would force most anyone except maybe Trigger Happy to duck upon entry.  
"No. It's not," Hex said simply as she glided off. "You come with me and you stay here," she pointed to Seraphina and Spyro respectfully. "Stay where I can see you, dragon. I know how anxious you are to see Cynder again. She'll speak to you when she's ready."

Spyro paced about in the landing area. His tail swayed out behind him and his wings twitched as he let his thoughts run wild. Cynder was completely confused the last time he'd seen her. Stealth suddenly had intimate knowledge of the layout of Meir Valan's palace from what he had seen before he came back to Haven and Hex was a beast when it came to protecting certain others. Spyro had never seen Hex give him the looks she had been recently when it came to discussing anyone she had shared thoughts and memories with in the mindscape. He could only imagine how Prince Anicetus's friend Meilyr was coping. Spyro pitied him, to understand the mind of one woman was a chore. But to have intimate knowledge of three? The dragon shook his head and stopped pacing when Hex and Hexling vanished into the small cave.

"Go in until it opens up into the larger chamber. I will stay here to ensure Spyro doesn't decide to eavesdrop," Hex said as she turned her back on Seraphina.  
"Why so cloak and dagger?"  
"After what we went through," Hex said with a glance over her shoulder, "Cynder would rather prefer her conversations and interactions remain solely between her and the other participant. I would like the same."  
Seraphina turned to follow Hex's direction before she stopped. "You requested a chance to speak to me. What did you want to speak about?"  
"In Uzern, the first time through," Hex began, "When you and your brother had your psionics restored and Spyro and Cynder had the rest of their abilities unlocked. Why didn't you tell me mine too had been restored?"

The Hexling tilted her head to the side, "When did you discover they were whole once more?" She had never thought of it, Hex hadn't said anything to bring it up before that moment.  
"Last night," Hex said bitterly. "I didn't even _think_ to try anything other than the simple abilities I've wielded these past two years. Why didn't you tell me the spirits had freed my abilities as well?"  
Seraphina didn't know what to say. She blinked a few times at Hex. "I am sorry. When Spyro tried an element other than fire it surprised us all. Then Cynder ventured out. The thought never crossed my mind; I was simply overjoyed with my luck and fascinated with that of the dragons. Meilyr and Crevan owed all of their skills to potion mixing so when they saw no changes I simply forgot they could have affected others as well. I have not yet spoken to Windy or even Camo."  
"Camo lost nothing," Hex shook her head; "he can cultivate any plant he wishes and speak to them because he is one of them. Kaos couldn't take that away. He merely prefers toying with watermelons and firecracker peppers."

"I am sorry I did not press you to see if anything had changed for you."  
Hex shook her head, "I am not upset with you. Just myself for not trying a spell I haven't cast in years. Now that I know I have all of my magic back," she said as she engulfed her hand in purple fire. Hex murmured something under her breath until a rock ten feet away from her levitated off the ground as she raised her hand, "I will be ready for anything that is thrown at us." The sorceress dropped the rock again and stood in silence for a while watching her copy. "Go and speak to Cynder. I have said my part, it was better to have waited until this morning. I was stewing last night over it."

As Seraphina descended into the cave it became apparent the island was deeper than it was wide. The slope curved in on itself into a near spiral and was surprisingly steep in places. The Hexling had to use her psionics to keep her from simply flowing down the incline as gravity so wanted her to do. Perhaps if she had her feet on the ground it would have been easier. Why _did_ Hex float everywhere? Seraphina resolved to ask her about it later.

The cavern opened up abruptly, it wasn't anything impressive but it was a cavern none the less. In the dim light it was hard to make out much of the structures beyond pale silver outlines. Cynder approached the Hexling from the gloom. Seraphina formed a small orb of golden light that provided about the same amount of illumination as a flickering candle.  
"I'm sorry," the dragon said immediately. "I know this is a very, very strange place to meet. It's just become so incredibly hard to find solitude now. The rest of the Skylanders I now hold company with are filled to the brim with questions. And my Portal Master, he means well but," Cynder sighed. "Never mind. I wanted to speak to you about all of these memories in my head; the memories in the heads of others. Spyro says you told everyone they will fade if we let them?"  
Seraphina found a rounded stalagmite to sit on when Cynder lowered herself to her haunches on the floor. "They will and I know what you are going to say next. It is difficult to not think about them, to not draw them back to the surface. Am I right to assume you have asked me here to help you forget?"

"Psionics are dangerous," Cynder began. "The things Timber did because we were weakened frighten me. He isn't psionic. I don't think I could handle a psionic." The dragon shook her head, "That sounded like I was telling you no. I'm not, you're right. I wanted your help in pushing these other memories away. In a way it's ironic of me to label psionics as a menace when others would do the same for a dragon."  
The Hexling leaned forward on her knees, "I can lock the memories away for you. But you need to understand that does not mean they are gone. When you suppress your memories on your own they can remain more tightly locked away."

Cynder steered the conversation to another matter suddenly. "I don't know why but I feel I can trust the others with what they know. If it feels like I grew up alongside you thanks to Meilyr then they all have a deeper understanding of what I went through with Malefor. It also means they have seen me at my worst, certain things I would rather them not know." Cynder shifted where she sat. "And I know things they would rather me not know." The dark dragon sighed. "I would feel better if I didn't know their secrets. I would feel better if they didn't know _mine_ but I understand it has to be their choice and I need to respect it. Truly though, your hiding of my memories wouldn't be as good as my own? Is it because I might unearth them on accident?" Cynder stood up to pace and talk mainly to herself about her worries.

The Hexling nodded, Cynder sounded beside herself. She was confused as to what she wanted to do. "I cannot make up your mind for you. I can however suggest that you rejoin everyone and come to terms with what you know about each other. It will be awkward, I cannot lie, but it seems as if everyone else has taken it well."  
Cynder wrinkled her nose, "They don't feel… naked around one another? It was awkward enough to speak with Hex. I can't imagine Stealth or Meilyr." The dark dragon stopped pacing and moved back to stand in front of Seraphina.  
"No one has spoken to me about it." Seraphina chose not to mention how everyone had gone their separate ways pretty much. It could be a problem or it could all work out well. All Cynder needed to hear was that everyone else was fine.

"Spyro's out there, isn't he?" Cynder tilted her head up towards the ceiling of the cave.  
"He is," Seraphina nodded.  
"Thank you. For listening to me. Even if we just talked circles around the issue. I'll try to rejoin the others and make my decision after mingling. I just want to get back to everything."  
"You have three strong individuals that know exactly what you have been through. Take advantage of their support, Cynder. Then once you have made up your mind come see me." Seraphina rose to her feet and held out a hand for the dragon.  
Cynder was confused at first then simply raised her paw to set it in the elf's hand. She smiled at the shake. "Deal," Cynder nodded. "You have a deal."

It was obvious Prince Ceron was leading Rider and Double Trouble through sections of the palace not usually open to the public. They reached a room lined by guards that stood at attention when the prince entered. One moved to open the door and the gazes of many different Skylanders turned to the new arrivals.  
"Good to see you again!" Double Trouble said cheerfully upon seeing the three giants from Uzern standing with the rest of the Skylander group. Aside from the Skylanders there was an assortment of palace guards in the room and a very pretty hematite skinned elven mage with radiant copper hair standing near Galvin the Sunburnling and Eloryn the Flashwingling.  
"Ginny-Li will be joining us as well," Prince Ceron announced as the Ninjiniling bowed. "As soon as my brother arrives we will take our leave."  
"Go now."  
As one the group turned and bowed when Kaelin and his mother strode into the room. Kaelin finally looked the part of king with a cape draped over his shoulders and the crown of Haven on his brow. He still wore the white silk shirt and maroon jerkin but his boots had been changed to a pair so new the Riderling seemed to walk tenderly. Overall it hurt his proud image but he looked the part from head to toe.

"Mon ami, you clean up nice," Flameslinger grinned and elbowed Rider. "Or he does at least."  
Rider brushed his elbow off and simply pointed to the duo of Teranika and Rafer. The Flameslingerling had his hand resting gently over the one the Stealthling had around his arm. "That's a gentleman. I hope you're taking notes."  
Flameslinger snorted, "Stealth, she is liking my charms. I am fine. No worries for me."  
The sound of quickly approaching feet made the room turn towards the door again. The guards posted stepped to the side smoothly to allow the duo of Voodoodling and Pop Fizzling in. "Forgive me," Niall bowed to the royal family.  
"Entirely my fault," Crevan spoke quickly. "I was not where Niall expected to find me. I held up our arrival."

"What about Spyro and Hex?" Galvin questioned. "We are still missing people."  
"They'll be here later, Cynder too," Double Trouble answered. "The king shouldn't wait for us to hold his address."  
The tap of a staff against padded carpet drew attention to the elven mage. "Are we ready?"  
"Yes, of course Archmage," Prince Ceron nodded. He turned back to his brother and took him by the elbow. "Good luck. The people will remember you; they have awaited your return. None have thought you abandoned us."  
Kaelin smiled at Ceron and clapped him on the shoulder in return. "Thank you, I am still nervous but more confident now in what I will say. Go," he tilted his head towards the door. "Find out what you can in the dungeon so we can worry about the larger issue at hand."  
Ceron gave his older brother a strangled grin, "I do not envy you, brother. While I reach out to other kingdoms and the gargoyle clans I know you will put yourself in the line of danger."

"That's what Skylanders do," Pop Fizz said when silence had settled in the room. "It's what makes us who we are and we wouldn't have it any other way."  
"When he speaks and makes sense it always makes me shiver," Stealth said as she rubbed her arms. The addition of Flameslinger's hands rubbing at her arms made her shoo the other elf off. She shot him a look that clearly said, 'not now' before he backed up with his hands raised.  
"You are certain you will not join us?" Ceron asked Galvin.  
"I… am a fire elemental now. I will be of no use, my attunement to magic has changed and I cannot sense it the way I once could. Thank you for the offer."  
"Oh just go already!" Elanniah said as she waved the group of casters and her youngest son on. "Your stalling is making Kaelin stall!" The two brothers exchanged sheepish glances; their mother knew them too well.  
"Good luck, brother," Ceron called to Kaelin.  
"May the light shine on you," the king replied. The crowd outside was whipped up when the Overseer of the Guard introduced Kaelin. It was now or never.


	47. Making Preparations

**Making Preparations**

"And if you'll look to your right you'll see the massive continent of Tour. Well, if you look to your left you'll see it as well. Pretty impressive, huh? Maybe not as impressive as say, me, but it's not bad. If you find big sprawling expanses impressive at least. I mean, what exactly could the continent do? Float there? I'd like to see it try to fight off a drow invasion. Like me, oh yeah."  
"Uh-huh," Krystal barely heard Flynn's long-winded gloat session as she looked out at Tour. It seemed to stretch out forever in all directions and when Flynn crossed over the landmass it didn't take long for it to feel more like the standard view for an airplane on Earth. "What city is that?" the Portal Master asked as she pointed out.  
"Uh," Flynn hesitated. "Some elven kingdom…thing," he curled up his lip and waved his hand in a general manner.  
Krystal tried to peer closely at it as the copter raced over it. The buildings seemed to shimmer in the light, it was beautiful. She really wished to know the name however; maybe it was a mistake to sit in the cockpit with Flynn. To be blunt Krystal much rather preferred dealing with his video game counterpart. She could push a button and he would stop talking. Here that wasn't going to happen. _Such a pity, too_, Krystal thought to herself.

"Now, what we want is an island floating over the big chunk of land below us. Not long now, maybe oh, say fifteen minutes until you see it. Pretty sweet huh, how fast we've traveled in such a short amount of time? I have the fastest copter around. It was a gift from none other than the Oracle of Skylands. I know him quite well, he's a big fan of mine," Flynn winked at Krystal.  
"Yeah," Krystal said as she looked towards the cockpit door. "Although you made Polo sick a few times with your showy flips. The speed was nice though."  
"Yeah, about that. I'm gonna have to charge you extra for cleanup of that. It's so… bleah!"  
Krystal rolled her eyes, "We'll clean it up. Don't worry."  
"Oh good! Cuz I was worried it would have to be an extra, extra charge. Cuz you know I can't be seen doing such a messy task. Not good for the image. I was going to have to hire someone so I was gonna charge you for the finder's fee and the equipment fee and the fee for making my ship decommissioned for the duration of cleaning. And then there was the supervising fee as well as th-"  
"For the love of, please shut up!" Krystal said. "I said we'll do it, Flynn! Sheesh!"

"Man, all of you Portal Masters are awful testy. Eon was never like that," Flynn said with the roll of his eyes.  
"Master Eon is a great man," Krystal huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest.  
"Tell me about it. Once he…" Krystal tuned out the mabu's voice as she watched the landscape pass below her. She saw vibrant colors in plants unlike anything she had ever seen. Maybe when everything was said and done she could explore the continent a bit more. She really should travel Skylands a bit more.  
Krystal had almost decided to send in some of her other Skylanders but Timber warned her that it might not be the best idea and they could stir up trouble on their own if they felt they could change anything. He was right the more she thought about it, Krystal was trying to fix things; not further complicate them. Camo was in Haven already though; Krystal had sent him ahead to get a feel for the city. Since he had been involved in Uzern but had escaped the ban he was the perfect choice. The Portal Master leaned a little more heavily towards the window, yes; she was definitely going to travel more often.

As soon as Roghallach and Ghost Roaster had reentered Haven their hoods went back up. Not before they were recognized however. The group of three that rushed them suddenly had stirred up some interest in other Skylanders in the area. When were they going to give up and leave? Wasn't the newly returned King Kaelin supposed to be holding audience at the moment, why weren't they listening to him?  
"Please, I would really rather you _not_ be around for this," Ghost Roaster pleaded with Sprocket. The golding was accompanied by Drobot and Trigger Happy again.  
Roghallach put a hand on the ghoul's shoulder and moved him around to his other side. "He is right, this is Olav's task. There is no need for you to involve yourselves."

"You heard the elf! Let's go," Trigger Happy laughed nervously. "Besides there's another royal address going on. This one a Skylander king! I heard he looks like Rider. Anyone care to go see how ridiculous Rider looks with a crown?" Trigger Happy's hopeful grin eventually melted into a grimace when he realized the other two weren't going to bite.  
Sprocket looked hurt. She rest one fist on her hip and raised the other hand to point at Ghost Roaster, "You find us when you're done. Alright? No excuses. We're not leaving without you."  
"We're not?" Drobot asked. His suit was back in place and his voice modulator dialed to its usual setting that completely hid the organic properties of his voice.  
"No, we're not," Sprocket grumbled as she turned around and strode off.

Drobot cocked his head to the side and studied the pleading look Ghost Roaster gave him and the indiscernible one Roghallach wore. "I suppose we're in town for another day."  
"Can we please go train somewhere?" Trigger Happy whined. "I've got an itchy trigger finger that's driving me crazy!"  
Drobot sighed, with his voice modulator it sounded more like the hiss of steam. "Very well, I concede to the option of training." Reluctantly he followed the bounding Trigger Happy as he trailed Sprocket.

The ghoul waited until his friends were out of earshot before he resumed conversation with Commander Roghallach. "Four homes that we know of," Ghost Roaster ran his hands over his face. "And who knows how many others they will send us to."  
"Come along," Roghallach said softly. "We should make haste. The sooner we finish the sooner you can be done with this emotional roller coaster." The sooner Roghallach could be done with it as well. Somehow telling the relatives of the spirit he had been taken from them was worse than telling relatives a loved one had fallen in battle.  
"I've learned my lesson. Again," Ghost Roaster groaned as he floated alongside the eirian. With the relative silence of the city he could hear the magically enhanced voice of the Skylander King addressing the city and its visitors. Ghost Roaster listened as he followed Roghallach through the empty streets. In the back of the ghoul's mind he couldn't help but think of how odd it was for the city to be so still and so quiet at such a beautiful hour of the morning.

"How would the king have responded to my crime?" Ghost Roaster asked Roghallach.  
The commander tilted his head to the side, "About the same as his mother I would assume. She helped stay the hand of her husband at times and much of her is seen in how Kaelin reacts to situations." Roghallach's pace was slow and steady; he wasn't in a hurry as it was very possible the home they were heading towards was empty with its occupants attending the king's address.  
The ghoul nodded, "They're good people. Fair people. I'm lucky."  
"That you are," Roghallach agreed. His head rose up when the king's words triggered cheers from the crowd. The commander from Meir Valan smiled to himself, this own king would soon give his daughter's hand to the elf whose voice dominated the city. Amid the curse of the Skylanders anyone close to them took every little ray of sunshine as a precious gift.  
Ghost Roaster had seen the change in the commander and could only guess at what had made him smile, maybe it was the king's words. Ghost Roaster had missed them after all.

Sprocket stomped away so hard her boots rang dully against the paving stones of the city. Why was she so upset over Ghost Roaster anyway? The golding sighed and rubbed her eyes, he was fine. She had spoken extensively with the officer that escorted him through the city and Sprocket had fought next to him in Uzern. She knew he would keep Ghost Roaster on track, she knew he would be fair. But Sprocket blamed herself. She had been there with the ghoul; she knew how dangerous it was for him to fall into his old habits. She could have stopped him. But Sprocket didn't, she was just as much at fault as Olav himself.

"Sprocket!" something about Drobot's volume made the golding think he had called to her several times already.  
The golding slowed her pace, she was running? The tech Skylander blinked and came to a stop before she turned around. She could hear the voice of the Skylander they said was the king of Haven drifting through the buildings.  
"Are you alright?" Trigger Happy asked with a squeak once he and Drobot had caught up. The poor little gremlin was out of breath, his short legs made running to catch up with the longer legged golding difficult. "Dro was calling you for like, an hour!"  
Sprocket rolled her solid white eyes. "Yes, an hour. I have that much stamina to run that fast for an hour."  
"Well it felt like it," Trigger Happy panted before he flopped down at her feet with his tiny chest heaving.

"Are you alright?" Drobot asked in a voice thick with concern.  
"Yeah, just; stressed I guess," Sprocket sighed. She rolled her shoulders and moved to sit on the wooden stairs that led up to a building. The golding clasped her hands between her knees and looked up to Drobot. She hated that mask he wore; he lacked facial features and seemed cold and distant with it. "Take your helmet off, Dro. I want to speak to you, not your mask."  
"What of your goggles?" the dragon asked as he complied.  
Sprocket reached up to make sure they were on her forehead before she told him that's where they were. "So," she started as she leaned back on the stairs and rested her elbows on the next highest one behind her.  
"So," Drobot replied. The dragon shook his head to slide his helmet off enough for him to snag it with a paw.  
"So what?" Trigger Happy asked as he finally sat up on the paving stones. His chest was still rising and falling quickly but not as much as it had earlier.

"You want to know why I'm so upset, I take it," Sprocket said into the silence that had settled between them. "I saw danger, I saw what _could_ have gone wrong and I did nothing to prevent it. And look where it got us," she sat up and held her arms out.  
"It's not that bad, Sprocket," Drobot cocked his head to the side and blinked at her. "Ghost Roaster's punishment is fitting and mild. The queen understands our plight and is making sure the family of the unfortunate spirit is informed of what has happened. You heard her address yesterday on what happened. She holds no grudge." Drobot refrained from commenting on the fact she had already had the very same conversation with Lightning Rod. Sometimes it was hard to get Sprocket to let go of things.

"The queen?" Sprocket shook her head, "Have you been listening to anything the Skylander that claims to be king has been saying?" Sprocket pointed towards the voice. "_He_ is the rightful ruler of Haven. The queen is not _the_ queen. She had taken her old post in the absence of her heir. Now rule is back on his shoulders, what if he decides the former queen's punishment isn't fitting enough?"  
"He's still a Skylander," Trigger Happy blinked. To him that was the only answer that mattered and should have ended the conversation.  
Drobot stood stock still for a moment before one of his armored wings twitched. "It is not my subject of study but I can safely surmise that to change her ruling would make the monarchy look weak and conflicted."  
"You can safely surmise this?" Sprocket repeated.

"Surmise, surmise. I like this word!" Trigger Happy said gleefully. He bound to his feet and hopped around repeating surmise to himself over and over.  
"Golding hierarchy allows for rulers to change, on their whim, any ruling made by a predecessor. Oh there are workings behind any change of course. Pleasing one group to boost popularity with a more powerful entity. Sending a message to another group or even saving someone linked to them from their fate. I can't imagine things are much different in other ruling bodies."  
"If I based my view of things on dragon culture," Drobot shook his head.  
"This isn't a shooting range," Trigger Happy said sourly as he stopped bouncing around.  
Sprocket turned to face the gremlin, "Then go. Let the adults talk."  
Trigger Happy's ears quivered, the golding's comment had stung him unexpectedly. "Someone must be expecting Aunt Flow," he shot back hotly.

Drobot put his helm on the ground and slipped his head back into it before he clicked it back in place with a claw. "Come on, Trig. Sprocket needs some alone time. We'll find that target area for you. I think we could both use the practice. Maybe all three of us?" the dragon asked hopefully as his voice modulator kicked in halfway through his statement.  
Sprocket shook her head, "I'm going to go listen to this address. I want to get to know this king. I'll decide on my own if Olav is still going to be treated fairly." The golding rose to her feet and strode past her fellow tech Skylanders without another word.  
"And I thought it was such a beautiful morning," Trigger Happy brooded.  
Drobot nudged the smaller gremlin gently. "Come on, I like the upbeat gremlin much more than the broody one." Honestly when Trigger Happy's mood did turn dark it was almost as if he had a split personality. The gremlin would seclude himself and become more snappy than happy.  
"I just wanna shoot something. Make it all go away," he muttered before he walked off the opposite direction of Sprocket.  
"Drama," Drobot said with the roll of his eyes behind his helm.

Camo slithered around through the crowd in an effort to get a better vantage point of the king. The king, Krystal didn't yet know she wouldn't be visiting with Queen Elanniah but rather her son and rightful current ruler of Haven. Hadn't Windy run into Kaelin before? The name sounded familiar but that didn't mean it was the same one. Camo shimmied up a lamp post, he saw a few other Skylanders and even eirian had done it so why couldn't he? The crowd looked completely different when seen from above, it was a massive sea of multicolored heads and arms that rose in cheers at certain statements. The forest dragon wrapped his feet tightly around the pole, near the top there was a crossbar he could grab onto for extra support but the downside was the bowl that held the mage fire blocked his view and Camo wasn't about to climb up high enough to sit in the bowl itself, what if the enchantment was still in place? He could be glowing at night himself for weeks!

"I promise you, people of Haven, that while I may be at a disadvantage for time spent here in the kingdom that you will not be without my guidance or leadership. I will work extra hard to keep up with events, my efforts will double to see that Haven continues to flourish." Kaelin paused for a moment and looked behind him, he extended a hand out to someone Camo couldn't see. "I will not be alone," Kaelin said with a wide grin as a figure stepped up to join him.  
Camo couldn't contain the snicker that tried to escape, oh it was hilarious! He knew they were copies but they looked so much like Hex and Rider that Camo was going to _have_ to give the Cores a hard time. Especially with how the Hexling was smiling and making eyes at the Riderling! Camo stifled his laughter a moment later and simply grinned; he knew the Hexling and was glad she had found her king.

"Princess Seraphina Reve from Meir Valan," Kaelin introduced the Hexling. He paused for the crowd's elated reaction. "We found ourselves taken from Skylands the day before our wedding and locked away in strange prisons on a new world. Today we have been reunited and tomorrow," he grinned at her and drew her hand up to his lips, "Tomorrow we bond our hearts together as one as we have waited for two years to accomplish. Tomorrow Haven you will have your new queen!"  
Seraphina looked surprised but the reaction quickly changed to joy as she threw her arms around Kaelin's neck and held him tight. From Camo's vantage point he could see the two speaking quietly but the roar of the crowd covered all else up.

The forest dragon added his own voice to the cheer that erupted, that was exactly what Haven needed after everything that had happened. A bright spot amid all the darkness and and worry. Camo's red eyes bugged out when he slipped down the lamppost a fair amount and he focused again on holding himself up while the exuberance continued around him.  
He caught many a Skylander cheering and jumping as well, they were probably excited only about the fact it would be a monarchy of Skylanders that ruled the city. Some might have realized the political boost it would give them; others might have only seen it as a happy ending for a love story. Well, Camo couldn't say that he too didn't like the warm fuzzy feeling it gave him. He'd never admit it of course but he was happy for his new friend and her soon to be husband. The king held his hands up and the noise from the crowd died down, apparently he wasn't quite finished.

In the end Kaelin had promised a better bond with Skylanders and open communication channels between the group and Tour. He readied Haven for the very possible return of Kaos's forces or at least the drow branch that had originally taken Uzern. Volunteers would be needed to help scout the country side and the request to open up homes to the gargoyles of the Wolf Clan was made. Haven was preparing itself for a siege.  
"A Skylander wedding, how cool is that?" a troll Boomerling was saying once the king's address had ended. That seemed to be all the Skylanders took away from the address.  
"Guess we're in the city for another day," replied a Nordic Chilling clothed in a fine pale blue silk dress rather than her battle armor. She seemed awfully pleased about it, judging by the fact her dress was in eirian style she was there for shopping.  
An excited Sunburnling danced around, "Extended vacation, woo!" he cheered while ruffling his feathers. An eirian blacksmith hopped to the side with a yelp when one of the hybrid's flaming wings brushed him across the back. "Sorry, bro," the phoenix and dragon creature said sheepishly.

Camo slunk away from the crowds, there was no worry of getting caught up and recognized. He had seen no less than sixteen others wearing his face, and what a handsome face it was if he did say so himself. He knew Krystal had arrived, she had contacted him from the docks and Camo needed to find an open space so she could make a portal for him. It was hard though with the whole crowd trying to disperse at once. For a moment Camo looked back up to the balcony the Riderling and Hexling had been on. He could just barely see them conversing with a group of other Skylanders, all ones Camo was certain he knew. He was fairly sure he saw Hex herself up there.

"Watch it, Squirt," a giant Crusherling said as his heavy rocky foot came down near Camo.  
The hybrid hissed at him and nimbly moved away, why was most of the copies of giants so rude? He had been so lucky with Mystic and Timber; _they_ had manners and knew how to use them. Camo found an open stretch and galloped through it in a way that made him almost look to be rolling when his shoulders would rise then fall so his back then haunches and finally tail could follow the pattern. The crowd was a meandering, wandering mass. He just might end up having to run the whole way back to the docks.

"Only a day to prepare, I am as eager as you to finally be wed but have we enough time to ready everything?" Seraphina asked Kaelin. She kissed him again; she was feeling so giddy she was sure she looked stupid.  
"We can manage," Elanniah nodded. "I can make it happen quite easily," the former queen smiled warmly as she looked upon her son and daughter-in-law. Through everything they had experienced they never gave up on one another.  
"Oh Sera!" Eloryn giggled as the Flashwingling bound up to her sister. "Mother and father will be so happy!" Eloryn verily danced around ecstatically when her brother too came up to clap Kaelin on the shoulder.  
"I can finally honestly call you brother," the Ignitorling said with a laugh. He nodded, "You are one lucky elf."  
"I know," Kaelin grinned as he kissed Seraphina's knuckles again.  
"No, I am the lucky one," Seraphina grinned just as widely. From the corner of her eye she caught Wraith smile warmly, it was such a strange expression for the Hot Headling.

"King Kaelin," Hex finally approached him once she pushed past Wraith and the Swarmling Nivaeus. "This is Cynder, the final member of the party that reversed the psionic damage."  
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Cynder," Kaelin said to the dragon as he moved away from the group of extended family members.  
Cynder offered him a smile, she felt like she knew him already and only nodded her head in return, that was what he would have asked of her anyway. "It's good to be back. But where is Double Trouble and the others?" she asked. When she had arrived with Hex, Spyro and Seraphina the address was already underway so there was little conversation besides the polite good morning or good to see you again. Now though she could ask about what she had noticed.  
"Have you informed them of Asmodeus?" Kaelin asked Seraphina.  
"I have," she nodded. "They have agreed to stay with us in the event he returns."  
"He started everything we went through," Cynder snarled, "Of course I'm staying!" She blinked a few times and looked towards a few new faces. "Forgive me, my manners have been forgotten. I'm Cynder, and you are?" she asked the Flameslingerling.

"Leave the wedding preparations to me," Elanniah said as Cynder acquainted herself with the new faces and greeted old friends alike. "You will have your hands full with the investigation."  
"We intend to return to Uzern today," Kaelin informed his mother. "I must speak with Prime High Priest Uriel. If Uzern is endangered again he should be warned ahead of time."  
Elanniah looked to the Hexling then back to her son, "Do you plan to release them from their vow?"  
"If he asks it of me then yes, I cannot deny them their freedom. For now I will leave the investigation in the capable hands of my brother."  
The former queen, now titled Prior, drew herself up tall. "Make haste, my son. You have a busy day tomorrow and the rest of today will be spent brining you up to speed on events in your kingdom. You may very well be leaving all of the investigation of Asmodeus to your brother. You will be glad to leave Skylands for a week once we have finished with everything."  
Kaelin squeezed the hand Seraphina had slipped into his, "No mother, I do not think I will be glad to leave."

"Yes, that was portal magic you found," Niall nodded to Archmage Eilir, "And only portal magic; nothing else was cast or even touched. Asmodeus was indeed a Darksider." The orc rose to his feet and rubbed at his nose, why were dungeons always so dusty? If he sneezed on more time he was sure he'd lose something important.  
"The collar wasn't removed, peculiar," Double Trouble mused as he bathed the room with eldritch energy.  
"It is likely that Kaos was unaware of the collar," Eilir replied to the magic Skylander. "It would silence the wearer but not stop spells cast on him by others."  
"Done," the tiki man exclaimed. "Everyone out, if it hasn't been too long since the portal closed I might be able to replay events that surrounded it."  
"I must learn this spell," the Archmage said as she swept out of the cell behind Ceron. "Ours only let us know the type and origin of the spell cast. We cannot see events that happened during the casting."  
"It's not a perfect art," Double Trouble said with a glance over his shoulder. He murmured an incantation in a foreign language and the cell came alive suddenly.

A green ghostly figure that looked like Asmodeus sat on the undersized cot, undersized for a goliath at least. His head was down and his arms were propped on his knees with his hands clasped. He glanced up and his eyes appeared to follow someone walking by before he dropped his head again. A portal opened in front of him and the lithe goliath sat up straight with his eyes wide and nostrils flared. Asmodeus glanced around a few times then peered at the shimmering portal.  
"He did not rise instantly, strange," Ceron murmured. It seemed to take the drow a fair amount of time before he glided to his feet and slowly moved into the portal. The light vanished and the dim dungeon was returned to normal. Water dripped somewhere and a guard bowed to the prince as he stepped around the group to continue his rounds.

"Hmm, he left with the collar alright," Double Trouble pointed out. "Did you notice his hesitation?"  
"If there is dissention in the ranks we may have a weakness to exploit," Ginny-Li said. She wrapped her massive hands around the bars and stared at the area the portal had been in. "Are there any other prisoners missing?" The giant asked as she turned to the prince and archmage.  
"No," Ceron shook his head. "Only him," he pointed back to the empty cell. "We had already determined Asmodeus was the commander of the drow occupation. Kaos must have deemed the others unworthy."

"They aren't Darksiders," Double Trouble said as he turned away from the cell.  
Archmage Eilir moved next to the tiki man. "Darksiders, what is the significance of that title?"  
"The Darksiders are Kaos's version of Skylanders. The members of his force he's trained to use portals," Ginny-Li answered. "Either the rest of the prisoners aren't Darksiders or they aren't important enough to him."  
"Is it any help if I determine where the portal originated from?" the archmage questioned the Skylanders.  
Niall shook his head, "Kaos likes to move his flying fortress about at will. Any information you gather might lead us to empty air."  
"So, what was the point of this investigation? We have learned so little."  
"We have enough, Archmage Eilir," the Ninjiniling told her. "Perhaps to you the information is hollow but we now understand things a little more. Asmodeus was working solo, Kaos had little to no idea of his plan. Depending on how badly Asmodeus wants this advantage we may have an unwilling ally."  
"He is still dangerous," Niall warned.  
"I know," the giant replied. "But he can be played against Kaos as well. They can weaken one another."

"When can we expect a movement against Tour?"  
"Forgive me, Prince," Double Trouble bowed his head, "This we cannot predict."  
"He will strike the gargoyle clans first," Ginny-Li spat. "We are a warrior people but we are merely clans, our numbers are too small in our settlements to withstand an attack of that scale."  
"Why are the clans not migrating, the elven cities will gladly open their gates for them!" Prince Ceron implored of the Ninjiniling. He knew Kaelin would prepare the citizens of Haven for gargoyle guests but it was still up to the gargoyles to partake of it.  
"This is our battle," the giant replied with a hand held up. "We can't draw the fight to your cities."  
"If he takes your psionics our cities will fall regardless!" the prince stressed as he stepped closer to the giant. "Please, take me to Alphas Nephilim and Baites. Alphas Wolf Dreamer and Corn Silk have already agreed. Let me make my case and then send emissaries to the other clans while I speak to the kingdoms nearest them."

"This is no place for such a conversation," Archmage Eilir said as she moved between the giant and eirian. "We should return to a more secure location and continue."  
"I agree, come. Let us hold council among ourselves then inform the others of our findings and thoughts," Ceron prompted as he moved through the hall and towards the entrance.  
Double Trouble cast one last glance back to the cell; they should begin their preparations for retaliation. Tour had only a taste of things to come, the tiki man was sure of it.

The portal that opened into the dry grassy plains was small and forced the individuals that clamored out of it to do so on their hands and knees. The tall stalks of amber grass swayed with the passing of the figures that tramped it down.  
"Watch where you're stepping with those clodhoppers of yours!" an elf that resembled Hex snapped at a dragon that was supposed to resemble Flashwing. Well the dragon could have made a fair double if not for the fact her scales were the palest blue and her crystals were placed differently as well as tinted more pink than purple. She was also slightly smaller than the renowned Skylander. The elf that looked like Hex had greenish skin, not the pallid blue the Skylander was known for. She wasn't of the undead persuasion. The fact they only mildly looked like who they were supposed to wouldn't be much of a hindrance for what they were supposed to do.

"Well if you moved faster I wouldn't set on you!" the gem dragon growled.  
"You try crawling in a gown, it snags!" the sorceress hissed as she pulled herself to her feet. The elf stood on the ground; she didn't hover above it like Hex. She grunted as she pulled bits of grass off her dress and looked back to the portal in time to see a flaming suit of armor crawl out followed by what was obviously a troll painted blue with a furred jacket on.

"Is that ever'one?" the flaming suit of armor asked. He was styled after Ignitor but his flames were just an illusion. The cyclops underneath the metal shell was a far cry from the fire spirit. The portal closed behind them and the armored cyclops shrugged. "Better be else they're stuck." He did a quick headcount and found everyone accounted for. "Right, you blokes know what we're 'ere for?" The armored individual turned in a full circle, the grass was ridiculously tall and he couldn't see over it to make out any sort of landmark nearby.  
"Who's got the map?" the blue troll asked. He kept scratching at the coat he wore. "I'm lost already!"  
"Knock it off Clod, yer gonna rub the paint off."  
"Oi! I don't care Bruin! Sheep's wool itches me hide!" the troll snapped back at the mock Ignitor. "I's perfectly 'appy with the blue grass!"  
"Only problem was it looked _like grass_!" the gem dragon snapped at him. She was annoyed with the grass that got stuck between the crystal pinions of her wings and broke off to wedge between them.

"I've got the map," the drow witch said as she pulled it out from a small satchel she had around her waist. She looked out past the tall grass of the plains to a mountain, the only thing she could see over the yellowed stalks of grass. "That should be the Gates of Tamesis," she pointed first to it then tapped her map. "So the Amber Clan should be to our east."  
"Which way is east 'gain?" Clod asked. He scratched at his painted blue nose that time.  
"The way the sun is sitting right now, duh," the gem dragon sneered.  
"Can the attitude, Pebbles."  
"My name isn't Pebbles you one eyed freak! It's Naomi!" she hissed at the armored cyclops.  
"Being that we're in the center of Tour there shouldn't be any Skylanders around to blow our cover," the witch went on as she ignored the others. It was a good thing too, the better their ruse would work if the gargoyles had never seen Skylanders before.

"Good," the flaming armored cyclops said. "Now iffin the rest of ya can keep your traps shut long enough we might get what we came for."  
"How will we know we gots onna them psionics?" Clod asked. He felt no shame at scratching his backside in front of the others.  
"Asmodeus suggested a child," the witch replied. "They will talk openly about what they can do and be easier for us to take."  
"A child?" Bruin scoffed, "What good would a child be?"  
"Their minds are weak and feeble. Easier to corrupt then use to corrupt a stronger adult mind. Start small and move up." The witch began to move off, why Bruin was the leader of the expedition she'd never understand.

Walking into the sun was annoying to say the least and no one wanted to walk behind Naomi, her crystals only increased the glare. The dry grass crunched under foot and sawed about in the wind when it decided to blow across the flat landscape.  
"Pah, it couldn'a been noon we arrived. Oh no, _we_ had to arrive in the bloody early hours from the west so the rising sun would hit us in our bloomin' faces! And then, on top of that; while this grass is so tall we canna see over it, it still doesn't block the sun!" Bruin scowled as he held a hand up to shield his one eye. While it looked like he was nothing but a flaming spirit it was only a cover of magic so his open helm didn't display his one large eye. The cyclops hated how his helm didn't provide any sort of cover from that damned fiery ball of bright light and pain.

"I jes wanna get it o'er with," Clod muttered. The damned troll was picking his nose now, he just didn't care about the image he was presenting.  
"Thank Lord Kaos's will we're supposed to pass as copies, we'd make a sad group of Cores," the witch rolled her eyes. She kept her arms out to bat away the tall strands of grass and keep them from grabbing at her clothing.  
"Well except maybe you, Greta. _All_ elves look tha same ta me," Bruin commented.  
"With one eye anything at a distance looks the same to you," she shot back coldly and walked faster. The grass swished closed behind her, only the flashes of her black attire let the others know she was still with them.

Naomi cocked her head to the side and listened carefully. She lift her nose up higher and sniffed rapidly at the air. "Get into character. If they haven't spotted us yet they will soon."  
"Where are they hidin'?" Bruin asked softly as he moved closer to the gem dragon. "Ain't naught but grass around here!" He squinted into the bright light; he couldn't see anything but swaying grass that was taller than his head.  
"Ah!" Greta yelped as she suddenly tumbled down ahead of the others. Clod stomped off after her and slipped himself.  
"Stand still," Naomi whispered harshly to Bruin. "Just stand still." The dragon's head pivoted to the side at a noise quickly.  
"Uh Naomi," Bruin called to her.  
"What?" she hissed as she turned around. The gem dragon's heart leapt to her throat instantly and her posture stiffened. Bruin was being restrained by two large horse-like creatures, one the same color as the grass and the other like red clay. A third creature built like the horse-faced ones but bearing the head of a featherless hawk leaned in to put his hooked beak right against Naomi's snout. All three of the creatures had large wings, the horse ones styled like a bat and the bird one's feathered.

"What business have you in our lands?" the bird creature asked.  
Naomi swallowed hard, if these were scouts they were psionics. If she didn't give them an answer they were pleased with they would dig into her mind, learn the truth and kill her and her companions where they stood.  
"We're Sky-Skylanders," Naomi replied. "We have heard of you, gargoyles? We came to see if the rumors are true."  
The avian headed individual snarled as he pulled away from the dragon. "Sightseers! Bring them in before they wander off into the Shadows," he grunted before he stepped around Naomi and moved through the area Greta and Clod had vanished.  
"Watch your step," the red clay colored gargoyle said as he let go of Bruin's arm and nudged Naomi with his knee until she turned around.

Naomi stumbled and gasped when she moved through the grass. She understood why Greta and Clod had fallen; they were at the edge of a cliff. It wasn't steep but the sudden drop was surprising. Greta and Clod both were at a shelf in the middle of the incline; the feline styled gargoyles that had restrained them let them go once the hawk faced one told them it was alright. Still, Naomi's heart was pounding in her ears. They were deep in enemy territory, one wrong move and it would be their burial grounds.  
The cliff made for a drastic change in the landscape. At the bottom of the slope the land was green and lush, bushes filled with flowers or fruit covered the floor and taller shrubs reached up above them while the trees dominated the rest. They weren't terribly tall trees but had they been up in the field with the grass they would have at least made decent landmarks. Instead of the dry, hot smell of the plain above the lip of the cliff had a rich earthy smell that promised moisture somewhere in the area.

"You alright?" Naomi asked Greta once she and Bruin had rejoined their companions.  
"My pride is hurt," the drow witch growled. She kept looking back to Clod; the gargoyles were interested in him the most. He didn't look right to say the least. She hoped beyond hope that they had never seen Pop Fizz or one of his copies so their ruse would be a bit more believable.  
"Why have you come so far inland to seek out gargoyles?" The hawk faced male was back. He walked sideways as the group traveled down the rest of the incline.  
"Because you wouldn't be near a city were all the tourism is, of course," Naomi replied before anyone else could. The dragon tossed her head and rolled her eyes, she wanted them to think of her as snotty so they wouldn't dig too deeply into whom she was.  
"What were you doing in Tamesis Plains; there is nothing but wilderness and large stampeding beasts out there."

"Sightseeing," Greta answered this time. "We had heard of the Gates of Tamesis when visiting one of the elven cities and decided it would make an interesting stop."  
"You're a day and a half off course," the gargoyle snorted. He looked back to Bruin and narrowed his eyes. "I have heard very little of you Skylanders but you are a very, very strange group I see before me now."  
"Yes well our Portal Master is very young and not good with coordinates so we were deposited in the middle of the grasslan' and couldna hail him again." Bruin hoped that would stall any further questions.  
The hawk faced gargoyle jumped down the last five feet or so of sloping land to reach the bowl shaped bottom of the lush wooded area. "We will get you prepared for a trek to Gleam, the nearest settlement that would be well-known enough to find balloon pilots at."  
"Thank you," Greta cut off Clod's half formed reply. "That will help us tremendously." She shot a look like acid to the troll masquerading as a gremlin. He would be the one to ruin their ruse if anyone would.


	48. Sightseeing with a Purpose

**Sightseeing with a Purpose**

"Dibs on the pole-staff thing!" Pop Fizz hollered as he ran out into the practice yard.  
"Pop! There are people using the yard, don't get in the way!" Cynder cried out. The elves sparring broke apart and gave bewildered looks to the blue gremlin that loped past them. They quickly bowed at the sight of the king behind the group that had just exited the palace. Cynder lashed her tail, Pop Fizz and Trigger Happy both could be such children at times.  
"Aw, he will be fine," Meilyr whispered to the dragon. He got a little closer so only Cynder heard the next part, "Maybe they can teach him manners." In spite of herself Cynder had to snicker.

The group drifted out further into the yard, the area had been designated the best spot for a portal. Once away from the door and near a far corner stacked with crates the group of eirian turned copies filtered through the ranks of Cores to stand before them.  
"You are more than welcome to stay here in Haven if you have no desire to return with us to Uzern," Seraphina turned to the Cores.  
"I'm staying," Stealth nodded.  
"Me too!" Flameslinger chimed in quickly.  
"I merely wanted to see you off," Stealth continued unfazed. "And to wish you well. I cannot bring myself to return to Uzern just yet. I will await your return here in Haven." Stealth bowed before the group respectfully; her bow deepened for the king and his future queen.  
"We're all staying, this doesn't involve us," Hex folded her arms over her chest. The sorceress heard a strange noise and exclamation of surprise from the elves the blue alchemist had been left with and turned fast in that direction. "Pop Fizz! You nightmarish little creep! Drop that weapon this instant and get back over here!" she snapped at the gremlin. He had taken a practice spear and was trying to impale it in the dirt while chattering away with the two elves that had been sparring before the group's arrival. To their credit the elves appeared to be trying to hold a serious conversation with him but honestly didn't know how to react to his eccentricities.

"She's so pushy," Pop Fizz said with the roll of his eyes. "Later guys!" he waved before he ran off and left the spear swaying where he had driven it into the ground. One of the elves, a copper skinned fellow, smirked at his pearly skinned companion before he yanked the spear out of the dirt and said something that made the both of them laugh. The gremlin jogged up to the group without a care in the world and put himself, as usual, between Crevan and Meilyr.  
"Say good bye, Pop," Rider told him as he moved around and pushed him gently from behind. "Our friends are taking a trip and you're not invited." Rider grunted and leaned hard on the gremlin in an effort to move him. He gave Flameslinger a pleading look when Pop Fizz proved too resilient to move on his own.  
"Aw, but I wanted to tag along," the alchemist whined. His head turned to watch Flameslinger move around behind him but the gremlin lost interest quickly. "They have the best advent-AH!" the blue furred gremlin bellowed and jumped straight up in the air before he danced away from the group.  
Flameslinger was howling in laughter, one little scuff of his enchanted boot covered foot in the practice yard dirt had kicked up a short-lived burst of flames that had moved Pop Fizz effectively out of the area. "You are welcome," he sniggered as he bowed before the surprised looks the Fizzlings gave him.

"You traveled with them?" Rafer asked with raised brows as he pointed back to the Cores. The flames in his eyes seemed to swirl up to match the expression on his face.  
"Yes, yes we did," Crevan blinked. "They are not always like this, I assure you."  
"I think maybe we scrambled their brains," Eloryn commented with her head tilted to the side.  
"Oh dear," Galvin fretted. "Can they be fixed?" He flashed worried looks at primarily Seraphina and Kaelin as the resident psionics in the group. "If we have brought harm to the Cores…" He said 'we' as if he had some part in it.  
Eloryn nuzzled the Sunburnling under the chin, "You are so cute when you have no idea that I am joking." She moved away with a smirk when her brother hissed at her and made a waving motion.  
Galvin lowered his head and backed away from the youngest princess, sometimes he just didn't know how to take her antics. "I am sorry," he murmured to her siblings while his wings vibrated where they were tucked against his body.  
"You see, we are no better!" Meilyr exclaimed with a finger of accusation pointed towards Eloryn. He found more than one finger pointed back at him with grins of amusement behind them.

"We'll hold down the fort for you," Stealth said with a bow. "Thank you again for the rooms, I wasn't expecting such hospitality." She really didn't know how to repay them for the luxuries she was suddenly afforded. Stealth was a simple woman and it all seemed so overwhelming to her. Her guilty pleasure though was that wonderful hot stone massage she received in Meir Valan; if Haven offered the same she would gladly accept it.  
"Nonsense, you are our guests!" Kaelin said with his arms out. "If you are going to be working with us I would be a poor host indeed if I did not see to your accommodations."  
"Thank you," Cynder said with the dip of her head, "Thank you for extending kindness towards strangers." Cynder still held onto her fear of rejection, not everyone could see past her slavery to Malefor but here she felt like an equal.  
"You are hardly strangers, you know," Anicetus answered her with arms folded over his chest.  
"Maybe not to you," Spyro smirked. "But yes, thank you King Kaelin." He bent one of his front legs to bow and spread his wings low with the act.  
The Riderling lift his hand, "Just Kaelin will do."

"Wait, you must be doing something for me," Flameslinger said as he squeezed between Seraphina and Kaelin. He bounced his head in apology to Seraphina as he prodded Kaelin into motion. "Here, you must stand here," he told the king as he led him out away from the group. "Rider, mon ami, here," he waved to the original. "Non, here," he directed the knight. Rider shuffled over when Flameslinger wrenched his arm to get him right next to his copy. "Stay," he smirked with his hands up. He looked around and found Rafer, his own copy before he shuffled off.

"Well?" Flameslinger said as he backed up next to Rafer and held his hands out. "Is it not ironic how close our copies are?"  
"I think your copy is better looking than you," Rider grinned. Kaelin seemed amused by the comment as did Teranika; she wrapped her arm around Rafer's and whispered something to him that made him laugh.  
"Vous êtes un imbécile," Flameslinger said with narrowed eyes, an action his blindfold neatly hid. "And your copy has far more honorer in his little finger than you will ever have for the whole of your life!" The archer held up his hand and waggled around his last finger to emphasize his point.  
"I will have to disagree with that," Kaelin shook his head. "There is as much if not more from what Seraphina has shared with me."  
"I am sorry, King Kaelin, but it was not to you that I was speaking," Flameslinger lifted his chin up towards Rider. "Wait, what has the princess said about me?" his tone was hopeful.

Eloryn burst out in a fit of giggles and elicited strange looks from Rider and Flameslinger, "They sound like you two!" she looked from her brother to Meilyr.  
"No, we sound nothing like them," Meilyr blinked as he laid his ears back.  
"Actually," Anicetus said as he rubbed the back of his helm. "She has a point."  
"Oh! So I see how it is, just because she is your sister you are going to side with her? _We_ always got in and out of trouble together. I am wounded, Ani."  
"No, the gremlin is right. You sound nothing alike." The way the corners of Stealth's eyes crinkled said she was grinning and lying through her teeth.  
"Complete opposites," Teranika giggled. She elbowed Rafer and he cut his laughter off with a cough before he nodded his agreement.

"I can hardly wait to work with everyone again," Hex said dryly. She kept an eye on Pop Fizz, ever since Flameslinger had roasted his backside he had stayed neatly behind the giant duo of Wraith and Nivaeus. The Swarmling was amused by the scene; it was obvious the Hot Headling was ready for it to be over.  
"When the Archmage returns with her information from the dungeons please hold council with her if we are not yet back. We will discuss our options upon our return." Seraphina finally managed to get the attention of others. Behind her was an open portal awaiting entry. "Any that are coming, now is the time."  
"Ah-ah, stay," Wraith said when Pop Fizz tried to dart around him. The Hot Headling grabbed the Core by the pack of potions he wore on his back. "Sit. Stay. Good boy."  
The gremlin's ears quivered, "I'm not a dog," he grumbled with arms folded across his chest.

"Are you coming, Wraith?" Eloryn asked when she saw him place a hand on the Swarmling's shoulder to prevent him from following the group to the portal.  
"No," the Hot Headling shook his head, "I will await news on the investigation. This trip is for you, the elves of Tour. I will stay here with the Cores. _We_ will stay here and await Ginny-Li's return," he motioned to Nivaeus.  
"But Wraith, Uzern may be able to restore Nivaeus's psionic skills," Seraphina reminded him.  
"You know as well as I do that every advantage we can get we should take," Kaelin implored of Wraith.  
Wraith shook his head, "It cannot restore his form. To accept the gift of restored abilities is to accept his current form. This is not gargoyle custom. We will wait until the curse is broken in full."

"Then you are fools," Hex snorted before Kaelin or Seraphina could speak, "You have been offered a chance to restore part of who you are but will only settle for all or nothing. It doesn't make sense to me."  
"Hex, that was rude," Cynder reprimanded her with a surprised expression. Hex had trouble embracing other cultures at times and it drove Cynder nuts when it reflected poorly on her fellow undead Skylanders. The dragon breathed a sigh of relief when Wraith gave her a look to let her know no offence had been taken.

"This is our way," Nivaeus answered reluctantly. "If we can prove we are just as strong and capable with handicaps then we know our worth to the clan."  
Hex opened her mouth for a reply but thought better of it and closed it again with a simple grunt. She floated off back towards the palace to leave the situation behind her. The sorceress folded her arms by the door as she waited for others to be ready to leave.  
"I am sorry," Rider said sheepishly.  
"It is not your fault," Kaelin reassured him.  
Flameslinger grinned at his friend, "Apologizing for Hex like she reflects poorly on you. This is something the married couples do." He grunted when Stealth elbowed him hard in the side. "Ow, too far?" All the other elf did was narrow her eyes at him.

"Yes, we should be going," Teranika said quickly when an awkward silence settled over the group. "I am eager to see Uzern; I have only ever heard stories of it before."  
"My dear lady, you will not be disappointed," Crevan grinned and bowed before her.  
"I have only ever been into Uzern once," Galvin said as he tip toed near the portal. "We traveled together during out training as priests," he looked to the Hexling. "When we were both lowly initiates."  
Seraphina smiled at him, "It is far more breathtaking than you remember. We will enter from the borders of the elfwood. Stay together, wait for everyone to arrive. I will go last."  
"Stay outta trouble!" Spyro shouted to the group.  
"Believe me, I will _run_ from it," Meilyr snorted before he stepped into the portal and vanished.  
"Trouble seems to find us, I think," Crevan said as he went next.  
"Shh!" Anicetus hissed, "No jinxes!"  
"Too late!" Eloryn chimed as she head butt her brother right through the portal then pranced in after him.

One by one the copies vanished, Kaelin paused a moment before he turned back to the Cores and the two giants. "Please, if something should arise send for us and we will return in haste."  
"You have my word," Rider thumped his chest with a balled fist and the sound of metal rang out. He followed the act with a bow of respect and remained doubled over until the king had gone.  
"Thank you," Seraphina said as she looked over the group. "Thank you for everything." A moment later and the Hexling was gone and with her the glow of the portal.

"I like this princess," Flameslinger nodded as he turned back towards the door. "She is nicer than Hex."  
"I can hear you perfectly well," the sorceress said flatly.  
"Oh this I know," the archer grinned annoyingly wide. "You were supposed to."  
"Easy now," Stealth said as she elbowed the fire elemental. "She's not like your boyfriend over there."  
"He is _not_ my boyfriend!" Flameslinger shot back. If he had fur it would have been bristled. She was just getting back at him for the comment he'd made about Rider and Hex.  
"I should hope not. I'm sorry but you're just not my type," Rider laughed.  
"Oh yes, laugh it off. It was to be an insult for you too you are knowing," the archer grunted before he vanished inside.  
"And you say _I'm_ weird," Pop Fizz shook his head as he went in next.

"No, no," Stealth said as she reached out to take Rider by the elbow. "Let them go ahead, I want to see how long it takes Flameslinger to get lost."  
"And Pop Fizz?"  
"He can't be any worse," Stealth waved it off.  
Hex drifted by and slid through the door. "Except for his potions. It would be wise to keep that one on a short leash."  
"You ever get the feeling that sometimes you're babysitting?" Cynder asked Spyro.  
"Quite often," the purple dragon smirked. "And most of them are older than me!" Spyro shook his head and moved towards the door when Stealth held it open for him and Cynder.

"Took you long enough Camo, sheesh were you sightseeing?" Scorch asked the moment the hybrid emerged from a portal at the docks. As usual the docks were bustling, Flynn had left the group to feel out the city on his own but he could still be heard yammering on about something ridiculous with a few dock workers a fair distance away.  
"Naturally, who could pass up sightseeing?" Camo replied matter-of-factly. No one bothered to warn Scorch of the melon Camo cultivated behind him. He walked up to Scorch and got right in his face to make the Spyroling back up, "I'm allowed to enjoy the city, aren't I?"  
"Get out of my fa-" Scorch stepped on the melon about then and jumped sky high when it exploded under his rear. Everyone else had moved out of the way so only Scorch was covered in goo. "Immature!" the Spyroling screeched in a higher than normal voice. He held his head up high and his nostrils flared as he stared down the hybrid.  
Camo grinned at him and straightened out a front leg for a semi-bow. "At your service. Or by my whim, whichever way you want to take it."

"So, how's the city?" Windy asked eagerly.  
"Queen Elanniah is no longer in power," the Core said as soon as he straightened himself back up.  
"What!" Krystal exclaimed. She moved through the rest of her Skylanders to approach Camo directly. "What happened, why? Is something wrong?" The expressions of the other Skylanders ranged from shock to horror and a few that were thoughtful.  
Camo tilted his head to the side, he _could_ use the opportunity to mess with the heads of Krystal and his fellow Skylanders but it wasn't appropriate. He could get away with exploding watermelons but not misinformation. "Calm down," he soothed Krystal, "It's nothing terrible. The queen's son; the rightful ruler of Haven returned. A Riderling named Kaelin, I heard him sp-"  
"I know him!" Windy cut off Camo with her excited blurt. "I met him! I know him!" she danced around excitedly. "Just before I met Seraphina, they're supposed to get married! I know the king and queen of Haven!" Her mood was contagious and the rest of the Skylanders that had been banned from the city chatted animatedly among themselves.

"Alright, alright!" Krystal said as she bounced her hands in a way to signal the Skylanders should calm themselves. "Alright. So maybe I _can_ change things. Can you get us into the palace?" Krystal turned to Camo.  
"Uh," the hybrid sat on his haunches and looked at his Portal Master. Her holographic image wasn't too terribly impressive; she was dressed wrong he thought. Then again Camo had met with royalty in the nude. Not uncommon for a dragon but still, he felt Krystal lacked flare. "Maybe. You look like casual Friday at work though," the Core remarked.  
Krystal snorted, "It was better than my Sunday best. I had forgotten how frilly that dress was. That would have gotten me laughed out of the city."  
Camo grinned as he imagined something hysterically frilly and pink much like it was made of cotton candy, "Yeah, it would have."  
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," the Portal Master grumbled. She could only wonder just what the dragon was giggling about when he looked at her. "Come on, shoob," she rolled her eyes, "take me to the palace."

A Portal Master in the city was cause for talk, the Skylanders present didn't cast more than a quick glance in Krystal's direction but the eirian were fascinated. They would stop what they were doing to watch the human pass. Krystal had to admit it was an uplifting experience to have children run alongside her and shout questions about what it was like where she was from and if this rumor was true or that story real.  
"They're going to be ok at the docks?" Krystal asked Camo for the fifth time.  
"You told them they could wait there! If you're that worried maybe you should send them off?" the hybrid asked as he trotted alongside Krystal. The human kept up well enough with him at his slow, meandering pace.  
"No, they wanted to wait for me," Krystal sighed as she rubbed her eyes.  
"Uh-huh. Wait here," Camo said with the flick of his tail. He galloped off in his usual rolling motion.  
"Where are you going! I don't know the way!" the Portal Master called after him.  
Camo looked over his shoulder just before he vanished around a cart hauled by two reptilian trekkers, "To get us a ride!"

"What's a Portal Master doing here?"  
Krystal turned to find a Wham-Shelling behind her. "Um, curious like the rest of you?" she answered quickly.  
"My own was simply satisfied with news I brought her," the crab-like Skylander said as he cocked his head to the side. "I've seen no other Portal Masters here."  
"Maybe I'm just the first," Krystal replied absently. Where was Camo? She really didn't want to talk about it.  
The Wham-Shelling narrowed his big blue eyes, "You… are the Portal Master for the ones that trespassed, aren't you!"  
Krystal's look of surprise was hard to miss. "I don't, it's not," she stuttered.  
"You are!" the copy's eyes widened. "You're the one that let your Skylanders run wild!"

Now Krystal was offended. "Run wild, as if you are meant to be kept on _leashes_? What kind of wonk view is that?"  
The crustacean blinked, "I didn't mean it like that," he said slowly.  
Krystal folded her arms over her chest to make herself look angrier than she was. "Then _how_ did you mean it?"  
"Well I," the red armored Skylander searched for words.  
"Just forget it, I don't have time for shoobs," Krystal sighed. There was Camo; finally. He was sitting on a bench in a cart with a proud grin on his face. So far no one had taken notice of the Wham-Shelling's comments and hopefully they wouldn't.  
"Your ride, milady," Camo beamed with a bow once the cart came to a stop. It was drawn by an older orniteryx, one retired from combat and a little more docile than most. "Who's your friend?"  
"No one important," Krystal said as her holographic representation climbed up onto the cart. Again she wondered how she could climb stairs but not open doors. It just didn't make sense to her.

Camo eyed the Wham-Shelling critically for a moment. "Palace district, please," he asked of the driver. He took note of the copy's eyes and how they studied him and Krystal. Rumors were going to start but that was fine. Krystal could simply take herself out of Skylands so no one could bother her when she left the palace. Camo could do the same and so could those waiting at the docks.  
"What's that look for?" Krystal asked Camo after she propped an elbow up on the side of the cart and leaned the side of her head against her fist.  
"Are you ok?" the hybrid asked with genuine concern. "Do I need to stuff some fire cracker peppers down his throat?"  
Krystal laughed, "It would make me feel better but it wouldn't help anything."  
"I'll do it, you sure?"  
The Portal Master shot Camo a level look, "I'm sure."  
"Just checking," Camo smirked as he swished his tail on the seat.

"You just missed them," Wraith answered Prince Ceron's question when he returned with the group from the dungeons. Archmage Eilir wasn't present; she had returned to the college where she awaited word from the Skylander council. "What did you learn?"  
"The Archmage feels we have hit a wall," Niall answered. "Kaos scooped Asmodeus up however. His sights are on Tour now for sure."  
"When and where is anyone's guess," Double Trouble said with a grimace.  
"Haven is preparing, word has been sent to the other elven kingdoms and the gargoyles as well have been rallied. The only thing we can't prepare for is where he will strike first," Wraith said.  
"Nothing like an impending war to welcome back a king with, eh?" Ceron rubbed at the back of his neck. "Where do the Skylanders stand on this?"  
"We will protect Tour. I can rally the masses without informing them of everything," Spyro said. "I will raise the alarm as soon as you are ready."  
Prince Ceron made a face, "Gather the Skylanders that are already here in Haven. Start with them; they can spread the word when something happens. I do not want any more to come until they are needed. The last thing we need is to _look_ prepared. I will speak with my mother and Kaelin when he returns. Please keep us posted on your progress."  
The Ninjiniling Ginny-Li nodded, "We will inform you of anything new that arises."

"What next?" Pop Fizz asked as he watched the prince leave. "What do we do now?"  
"Get started on gathering the present Skylanders," Niall told him before he set out for the door. "I would have liked to visit Uzern but this needs my attention first."  
"You heard the orc," Spyro said with a sniff, "Meet back here in the afternoon hours. Speak to as many Skylanders as you can."  
"No," Hex shook her head, "This method is a waste of time. Bring them to us; have them spread the word of a Skylander meeting. Then tell them all at once."  
"Bring them to the temple," Niall paused at the door to say. "We can hold the gathering there and still be out of the way of the normal flow in the city. I will speak to Haven's Prime High Priest to ensure we have the sanctity that we need."  
Spyro turned back to the group of Cores, "There you have it. Get going and make it happen now!"

The security point had been cleared, the elfwood forest stretched out all around the group that had entered it. From the moment of arrival it had been apparent it wasn't a normal trip.  
Kaelin felt like he was walking a parade route, the path was lined by the ethereal blue figures of spirits that watched him with hopeful eyes. He had been so lost in the sheer amount of spirits that he hadn't been aware of Seraphina's fingers entwining with his before she squeezed his hand.  
"I have never seen this before in Uzern," the king said to the Hexling softly.  
"I had caught glimpses before but yes, when I first saw them it was awe inspiring. When I came through the first time with Hex and the others something about our appearance had reactivated them. It was not just quick visions in the corner of our eyes but full manifestations. They attributed it to the undead nature of Hex and me as well as the concentration of magic in the rest of our Skylander group."

"I cannot decide if I should feel honored or worried," Galvin shivered. Being that he was pretty much in flames the shiver looked very odd.  
"They will not bite," Eloryn smirked on the Sunburnling's left.  
Galvin blinked, "Well I know that. It is just I have never experienced so many spirits at once."  
"Then Uzern will be different than you are expecting," Crevan said with a rub under his left ear. Or was it Meilyr? Galvin was having a hard time telling the two Fizzlings apart. It didn't _sound_ like Meilyr though so it probably was Crevan. And Meilyr wore armor, right? While Crevan had the purple fedora. Argh, Galvin could sort it out later.

"Light, what a beautiful forest," Teranika said breathlessly. The glowing undergrowth made it feel like she had stepped into another world. It was so dark under the towering alabaster trunks of the elfwood trees yet life thrived by the light of glowing fungus and underbrush. The Stealthling freely let her gaze wander around the warren of enormous trunks and splashes of multi-colored light.  
"This is one of the few forests I have not set foot in before," the Flameslingerling murmured softly. As a ranger Rafer had traveled far and seen much but the holy ground of Uzern and the elfwood below he had not yet tread. The experience made him feel accomplished. For just a moment he could imagine the group with him as they were in truth. Proud eirian elves in their native lands without the worry of Kaos or the newer threat of Asmodeus. It was like being a teenager again when the world stood awaiting them and was nothing but wild stories that needed to be seen to believe.

A patrol of living eirian from Haven materialized in the darkened forest. The soft glows around them caught on their armor and made them blend nearly flawlessly with the spirits of the forest. It wasn't until others realized their footsteps disturbed leaves on the forest floor that anyone understood they were among the living. The patrol kneeled before the king and waited for his entourage to pass before they resumed their circuit through the holy land.  
The forest was quiet and peaceful. The animals that called the forest floor home barely paid the spirits or even the Skylanders much mind. It was only the heavy footfalls of the Ignitorling and two Fizzlings that really stirred anything up.  
"You should have brought Stampede," Seraphina said after a while of comfortable silence. "The last time we came Uriel showed us as we used to be, he would have enjoyed it as much as you."  
Kaelin looked to the mixed group; gremlins, dragons, a fire spirit and elves of a persuasion other than eirian. How very strange it must have been for the dragons to be on four legs as opposed to their elven two legged status. "Stampede would not understand the magic behind it. It would confuse him; he will be content as he is until the curse is broken."

It wasn't long before the group had finally reached the lifts. The excitement was nearly palatable as the lift climbed up higher into the trees and left the forest floor further below the group. Behind her Seraphina could hear Eloryn excitedly telling Galvin, Teranika and Rafer how they had fought off the drow and progressed through the city. She watched Kaelin out of the corner of her eye. Light, she loved that elf. He wore Rider's face but his heart was the same. Kaelin looked thoughtful; he was obviously listening to Eloryn as well.  
Seraphina smiled warmly when she noticed Anicetus nearby, with naught but flames behind his helm it was hard to tell where he was looking but she simply got the feeling the light yellow of his flames was aimed towards her. The Ignitorling nodded back at her, he had been watching her. Seraphina laid her head on the Riderling's shoulder and wrapped her arms around one of his. He flashed the Hexling a smile as he listened to Eloryn's rather extravagant storytelling; she liked to tell tall tales and made everything sound grander than it was. And to think, Eloryn claimed her sister was the better storyteller!  
The Hexling closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, her sense of smell still worked even if her status as an undead meant she didn't have to breathe. She did it out of habit, so did Kaelin. It was reassuring to know they hadn't fully accepted their undead states.

"What are you thinking about," Kaelin whispered softly to the Hexling.  
Seraphina looked to him with a smile, "How things used to be. How things will be. About you, about us." She snuggled in happily when Kaelin wrapped his arms around her.  
"You know better than I do, should I release the spirits from their vow or hold onto them until this has all ended."  
"Release them," Seraphina said with barely a thought. "They have done enough. Uriel wanted this, he asked it of me. I am delivering you as I promised; the rest is up to you."  
Kaelin closed his eyes and kissed the Hexling tenderly. "Then I will give them the peace they seek."  
"We have arrived," Meilyr said just before the lift came to a stop. The Fizzling's eyes grew wide at the sheer amount of spirits gathered. "We have an audience." A moment later and the whole of them dropped to one knee and bowed their heads. "Um, I think you should go first, Kae," Meilyr said as he shuffled to the side. He watched the Riderling stride past him with head held high as he stepped into Uzern. Seraphina came up next to Meilyr and the Fizzling watched her from the corner of his eye. There had been a time during their childhood that she had flirted with him innocently. As a woman her interests turned elsewhere, Meilyr couldn't compete with the king that turned with a smile to invite the others along. It was time he let go of his wish, she had made her decision.

Eloryn paused with a front paw held up and she stared at the change from platform to city streets. The first time she had been in the city it was to protect it. Now it was for something else and she felt an incredible amount of trepidation.  
"Is something the matter?"  
The Flashwingling turned to Galvin. Even as the part dragon, part phoenix hybrid his eyes still held the same kindness and... innocence she remembered. The priest had taken the role of her personal guard much as Meilyr had for Anicetus and Rafer for Seraphina. Eloryn smiled softly at the hybrid and he looked behind him thinking it was for someone else. "I am smiling at you, bird brain," she grinned again. "Nothing is wrong," she shook her head as Crevan and Meilyr walked past her. "I am merely anxious. We are witnessing history here after all. We will be a part of it." Eloryn stepped into the city when she realized only she and Galvin remained on the lift.  
"We are Skylanders," the priest reminded her with a confused tone, "We have already made history." He galloped up to the rest of the group when a spirit dressed as the Prime High Priest appeared. Galvin stared in awe at the warm greeting he gave Seraphina and others that had been there before.

_Welcome back_, Uriel said warmly to the group. _I see new faces and sense the heir of our king has arrived_. He bowed deeply to Kaelin and only rose when the Riderling asked him to. _Please, come with me. I have a gift for you, my king_.  
"Prime, there is no need for gifts." Kaelin held his hand up.  
_I disagree_, Uriel smirked. _We can provide you a chance to partially reclaim your true self_.  
"We could use your skill for what is coming," Anicetus reminded him. "And that of Eloryn." The group began to move deeper into the city past old business and homes, some altered by the recent drow occupation and others untouched.  
The Flashwingling blinked and stepped slowly for a moment, "My visions, you can restore them?" The youngest princess wasn't sure how to view it. On one hand it was blissfully peaceful not to have the visions interrupt her normal daily routines or sleep. But she did miss the warning of danger and the ability to prepare for things.  
Uriel stopped the group so he could address Eloryn properly. _We can, and High Priest Galvin's magic. Our gift to you for your defense of Skylands and in turn Uzern. Kaos's curse is not as irreversible as he would like. While we cannot break the banishment to Earth or the reshaping of your forms we can restore blocked skills_.

"Niall," Seraphina gasped, "He is still in Haven! He should have come with us, his magic too is blocked." She looked ready to turn back the way they had come before her brother put a hand on her shoulder to stay her.  
Uriel nodded back and thought a moment about his reply. _Send him in when you have the chance. If not for the barrier in place to block portals he could be brought in now. I will gladly restore the magic for a fellow Prime High Priest_.  
"The Cores? There are many of them that have suffered the same disadvantage," Rafer asked. He himself didn't have any extra abilities to unlock but he couldn't forget the original owners of the forms so many others now possessed.  
"What of the rest of the copies, so many of us found our alignments altered and abilities changed. I gained much myself but others lost much," Teranika said. "It is unfair if some are helped and others not."  
Uriel hesitated for a moment, _We can extend the offer to them as well. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to break through the curse however. I regret to say that we will not be able to unblock all of the copies; maybe not even all of the Cores. The knowledge to do so can be shared however_.

"That is more than enough, thank you Prime," Kaelin nodded with a bow of respect. The conversation was getting out of hand and Kaelin could tell the spirit was nervous about the thought of so many others in Uzern. "I will send mages in to work with you and learn the ancient magics. Now that we seem to have increased your activity there is much you can help us relearn," the Riderling bowed to the spirit. "I came to release you from your bond, however. Would you allow us time to send in pupils for this task? Perhaps the archmages from Tour's kingdoms?"  
_You may release us now, my king. I am not done however and wish to see things through to the end. I pledge my services to you and Seraphina, my queen, until you are certain that the events of Uzern will not affect the rest of Skylands negatively_. Uriel knelt before the undead duo and elicited a murmur from the Skylanders.

Seraphina entwined her fingers with Kaelin's; she hadn't expected Uriel to trade vows. "Prime, please," future queen said. "You need not exchange one binding for another."  
_I am not yet ready to depart_, the spirit said as he stood again. _But I cannot ask anyone else to remain with me. I want it this way. With the previous bond broken and my new one in place I will be free to come with you wherever your travels may take you. Allow me this chance to stop a servant of darkness from sweeping across Skylands. Now please, I need the help of other casters to remove the block. Come with me. And young Galvin, you will be the first to learn the magic needed to restore that which has been locked away in others. The magic Kaos used is as ancient as what we will use and is the only way to alter something even Kaos did not fully understand_.  
"Me?" Galvin asked wide-eyed. "Oh no, Niall would be a better choice. I am just a High Priest, he is a Prime!"  
"There are more in our ranks than in Niall's," Seraphina reminded the Sunburnling, "There is but one Prime per kingdom and there can be as many of our rank as they can earn the title."  
Crevan exchanged glances with Rafer, it wasn't what anyone had expected when they arrived but now that it was happening all they could do was go with it.

"Do you have an appointment?" the guard positioned at the palace gate asked.  
"Not exactly, no," the Portal Master replied. She hadn't thought about proving who she was. Krystal simply thought she was expected.  
"I have the names of several Skylanders that might be within the palace. If one of them vouches for us would that be enough?" Camo ventured forth. He was annoyed with the red tape and wanted nothing more than to plant a watermelon behind the stuffy guard but knew what it could lead to.  
"It might," the guard answered without a change in his stoic expression. Camo began to list those he knew starting with Princess Seraphina. It wasn't until he reached the Cores did the guard respond. "Yes, those Skylanders are guests of the king. You will wait right here," he said before he turned to enter the courtyard. Another guard moved out to meet him and the two discussed the situation for a moment before the first moved up the steps to the palace and the second took his place at the gate.

"I get the impression getting into the palace is akin to getting into a jail," Krystal commented offhandedly to Camo.  
"I hope it smells better," the dragon deadpanned. The corners of his mouth nearly flickered into a smile when both guards flashed him a curious look. The plant and dragon hybrid's head turned back around to watch the square. It was open, any Skylanders that walked by would know instantly Krystal was a Portal Master. The residents of Haven too knew if they didn't get in soon Krystal might find herself the center of attention for a large crowd.  
"So," Krystal said to one of the guards. "What's the weather like around here?" She felt stupid for using a default conversation topic but really didn't know how else to speak to the armored guards.  
"Mild," the one that replaced the individual they originally spoke to replied. "We have our dry seasons and wet seasons with a temperature that is bearable in the warm summer months and tolerable in the colder winter. This is our wet season, you are bound to see it rain at least once before you leave. Depending upon how long you intend to stay."

"Why are the buildings so… open?" Krystal couldn't get over how windows bore no glass and doorframes were open in many places. Places that did have doors seemed to have whole walls that were open from the midpoint up to the roof. What was the point of a door if someone could just as easily hop through the open wall covered only by a curtain? Only the palace had closed windows and doors, all on the first few floors though. The higher up the structure an eye traveled the more open it became. Krystal hadn't noticed it but the inns too were fairly well closed up if only for the benefit of visitors that felt walls and doors added privacy.  
"Trust," the other guard replied. Camo and Krystal both were surprised to learn the armored figure was actually a woman. "Our city is peaceful; no one has ever bothered us since the founding. The open windows and doors allow fresh air into our homes, we have shelter from the elements but we have not cloistered ourselves from them. We are anxious however now, after finding drow in Uzern we find ourselves vulnerable."

"I'm sorry," Krystal said sheepishly. She felt it was her fault to begin with.  
"You did not bring the drow," the male guard said with the shake of his head. "In spite of the wrong your charges committed by entering our holy ground they may have very well saved us an embarrassing invasion and the resulting occupation."  
"Um, thanks, I think. Or your welcome?" Krystal felt she should have just kept her mouth shut; her replies were simply too awkward. "Ugh, this is so wonk. I'm sorry, forgive me. I must sound like a total shoob."  
Camo nudged Krystal in the arm, "Language. You're confusing them. Windy toned down her slang for the benefit of others."  
"Sorry," Krystal cringed. "I meant that I must sound stupid to you."  
"Unlearned in our ways," the female guard said simply as she turned her gaze back out into the city square beyond. "And a curiosity to our residents."

"Ugh," Camo groaned with a furious flick of his tail. A crowd was gathering and he heard 'Portal Master' repeated more than once on the lips of eirian and Skylander alike. The hybrid's head whipped back around. "Is there anything you can do to keep the crowd from pressing in on us?"  
The male guard grunted and pointed to the palace plaza. A few other guards had come out from the palace and were obviously heading their way. "Stand in there. If you go past the tiles depicting the floating island without an escort I will draw my weapon on you and escort you to the dungeons myself."  
Krystal slipped through the gate and pressed her back against the section the guard stood at. She had no plans of disobeying. Besides, one of the armored elves that approached her was much more decorated than the others and wore a scowl so deep she looked to have been carved from stone.

"Portal Master Krystal?" the armored elf asked crisply. Her eyes flickered towards the Skylander in her company. "Core Camo, I remember you."  
"Ah-heh, so good to see you again Commander Caoimhe!" the dragon struggled to say brightly. Personally he hadn't dealt with the leader of Haven's military but he had heard her bark orders and knew her to be rather short tempered. Commander Roghallach from Meir Valan was much better company.  
"Come with me, Portal Master and Skylander," Caoimhe said as she turned away slightly.  
"Ye-yes ma'am," Krystal replied quickly. She stepped quickly to approach the commander as she turned fully around. The small contingency of guards she brought with her fell in behind Krystal and Camo to block them from the view of the gathering crowd. For just a moment Krystal marveled at where she was and who she was with, she had just traveled through an alien city with fantastical people all around her. It was a taste of a different culture and it hadn't cost her a thing to travel. Well, besides Flynn's modest fee of course.

"Are you aware that Queen Elanniah no longer holds her title?" Caoimhe asked without looking back.  
"Camo informed me, yeah. He heard King Kaelin's address earlier."  
"The King has taken his leave," Caoimhe said simply. "You will await his return as our guest."  
"I left my other Skylanders at the dock; I need to let them know…"  
That got Caoimhe's attention. She rose up two steps before she whipped back around to look down on Camo and the Portal Master. "Other Skylanders, am I to assume the group that was banished?" The commander narrowed her eyes; she didn't like the blatant disregard for the former queen's orders.  
"Yes, them," Krystal replied with a shudder. Ugh, she felt like a little kid being scolded for leaving the front door open so the dog could run away. "They wished to wait for me, to learn firsthand any news or updates I bring them."  
Caoimhe snorted. "I will ask one of your fellow guests to take a message to them. You will not use a portal anywhere near the palace. Understood?"  
"Yes ma'am," Krystal's posture stiffened as she spoke. If the king was anything like the commander then she wasn't going to see any kind of change. Hopefully he was more understanding and could at least explain to her how the patrols were going to work.


	49. Small Beginnings

**Small Beginnings**

Feet pounded through dried leaves, twigs and other debris on the forest floor. The sounds of the feet were as different as the runners; the clang of metal mixed with a gallop and the rustle of fabric  
"Run faster, you fools!" Greta hissed. They had moved quickly once inside the gargoyle clan's grounds, it didn't take more than an hour to find what they had been looking for. The Amber Clan gargoyles had fallen for their ruse; no one had found them out and the gargoyle children had been so excited to meet "Skylanders" that the group of Darksiders had no trouble singling out a few good candidates. They had in their possession two young gargoyles, one barely eight years of age and the other a teenager of fifteen. Both had been sedated via use of a potion the false Fizzling Clod carried.  
"This 'uns heavy!" Clod growled. He had been tasked with carrying the older of the two gargoyles. The youth looked almost like a black lion with a tawny mane and spots of the same color covering his smooth skin. Clod kept shifting his burden, some part of the young gargoyle always seemed to be dragging in the leaves. By that point the troll's blue paint was rubbing off and he looked less like Pop Fizz than before. "A little help?" the troll snarled when he nearly dropped his cargo.

Naomi scowled deeply and dropped back to run next to the troll. "Give him to me," she demanded. "Weakling," she snapped as the mock Fizzling rolled the tall gargoyle off his broad shoulders and over her lowered wing to toss across the dragon's back.  
"I ain't got the legs for 'is!" the troll shot back. It was true; his run was more of a waddle that was only more pronounced the faster he moved.  
"Just shut up and run!" Bruin panted. His cargo of the eight year old girl was lighter but his armor wasn't really helping. The girl was a soft cream in color with a rich brown mane and short equine face. Bruin could hear the howls and roars of rage from the gargoyles that were hunting for them. The psionics were assaulting them; Bruin kept feeling excruciating pain and kept his one eye down towards the ground. Asmodeus had said they could see through another's eyes if they made mental contact and he didn't want them to see anything that would let the gargoyles find them easily. It had been a miracle they had even managed to get the head start they had.

As Greta fled she cast spells to leave traps behind them. They were simple triggers that would cause explosions or slow whoever set it off. The drow witch didn't have time for more elaborate traps. "Lord Kaos!" the false Hexling called as she shed the cowl that held her rich blue hair out of her face, "If you want these gargoyles you had better open a portal!"  
A screech sounded from the side and a gargoyle that looked like a chocolate brown unicorn burst through the underbrush. Her mane was made of quills and made a strange rattling sound as it vibrated with her movements. She resembled the child Bruin held, she had found the intruders that had taken her daughter. "You are not Skylanders!" the gargoyle hissed through teeth that should have been too sharp for her horse features. She lowered her head and used her horn to trip up Clod before she raked him across the face with her claws, yet another feature that didn't go with her equine style. She leapt off the downed troll and moved rapidly on all fours towards first Naomi to try and knock the other youth off the dragon's back.

Naomi's eyes widened and she snapped her crystal wings out to protect herself. The gargoyle's claws scratched across the surface of them and made a horrible high-pitched squeal but otherwise did no damage. "Here comes another!" the dragon howled when an avian gargoyle that looked much like a raven swooped down from the trees and nearly grabbed Bruin's helm. The way the creatures moved on two or four legs at will and even on the wing made them unpredictable in their movements.  
"Oi! They're all 'round us!" Bruin exclaimed as he saw flashes of other winged figures in the trees. His group was nearing the incline that lead out to the plains but if the gargoyles had already found them there was no way they could get out in time. Where was the portal?

Clod barely heard the din around him as he stared up at the sky through the holes in the canopy above. His face throbbed, one of his eyes refused to work and he tasted the coppery thickness of blood in his mouth. The gargoyles had pushed him aside and ran after the other Darksiders in favor of saving the children. Clod shivered involuntarily when he felt the magic of a portal. The blue painted troll slowly climbed to his feet. His companions were running madly in all directions. Panic had set in and they didn't know what to do. The troll groaned as he fished out a few mines from the bottom of the bag he carried, the potions on top were just for show. The troll was nearest the portal, as the only stationary member of the party it had been easiest for Kaos to use his location.  
But no one knew about the portal and Clod was going to remedy that. He took one of the yellow discs in his hands and twisted it to activate the timer. He took careful aim after removing an adhesive strip on the back and smacked a brutish equine between the wings with his toss. Perplexed the gargoyle stopped dead in his tracks and reached behind him. He pulled the mine away from his skin and opened his mouth to warn the others. His voice was drowned out by the explosion that took off his arm and melted his face while his charred body crumpled to the dirt.

Clod readied another but skipped the adhesive to simply throw it to the ground. He had everyone's attention and his companions could surely see the open portal now. The troll took out more mines and lobbed them freely, mainly to keep the gargoyles from overwhelming him. "You like that?" the troll jeered when a gargoyle lost her hand to a mine but kept coming at him. "Have another!" he bellowed and tossed another. The gargoyle crumpled with the explosion and Clod grinned to himself.  
"Die," a voice rasped in the troll's ear. The next thing the false Skylander knew he and a badly wounded cat-like gargoyle were tumbling through the portal and into limbo beyond. For the gargoyle it was a shock to find herself in a white void that held so many others all moving about at random in all angles possible. She was stunned long enough to become distracted by the sight of Skylander and Darksider alike ambling about on paths she couldn't see.  
The troll wrenched himself away from the bloody and burned figure. The feline faced creature was barely recognizable. She was bare-chested, what remained of her top hung in tatters over one shoulder and was still smoldering. "Dumb beast!" Clod yelled at her with amusement in his voice. He kicked out at her, she was sluggish and disoriented so the attack landed and the gargoyle stumbled backwards to trip over her ruined wings. Clod opted to ignore her and ran full out for the end of the path that would take him back to Kaos and Asmodeus. He could see it as well as feel it clearly so long as he didn't stray from it.

The gargoyle groaned, oh the feeling of nausea wouldn't leave her be. She shook her head and saw the disguised troll fleeing along a path that should have been impossible when he seemingly ran straight up a wall that didn't exist. "If I am to die here then so are you!" the gargoyle bellowed as she spread torn wings. They were useless for flight and one was less responsive than the other but they did add height to her jump as she leapt up and grabbed the troll by the pack on his back.  
"No! Let go!" Clod gasped as she began to drag him down with her weight. She had fallen off the path needed to use the exit portal and threatened to do the same for Clod. One wrong step and that was it, even if he could see the exit portal unless he managed to approach it at the right angle he couldn't use it.  
"You are mine!" the gargoyle growled in a guttural manner as she pulled herself up and wrapped a raw arm around the troll's neck. "There is no escape!"  
The troll stumbled and fell. He screamed in dismay when he lost sight of the path and could no longer feel the pull of his Portal Master. As there was no floor, no walls nor anything to break the fall Clod and the Amber Clan gargoyle continued to fail aimlessly through the infinite space. They raced past others on paths to portals and heard more than a few angry shouts before they were gone.  
"We will continue to fall endlessly even after we have died!" Clod shrieked in sheer terror. "You have doomed us both!"  
"You will never harm another person again," the gargoyle said calmly as she pushed off the troll and her momentum carried her away. Much to Clod's horror she looked at peace as she drifted away from him. The troll returned to screaming, maybe if he was lucky he would find himself on the right path miraculously to another portal.

"Into the portal, now!" Greta bellowed. Her right arm hung limp at her side, a horrible gash at the shoulder exposed the white of dislocated bone. The wound was fresh and Greta was still reeling from the claw swipe that had so cleaved her flesh. She had a shield up but it wouldn't hold for long, the gargoyles continued to pour into the area. It had been the psionics at first, then came the magisters, gargoyle magic users that sent all manner of element and even gathered the aid of the forest flora and fauna to help them in their quest. The brute strength of the gargoyle warriors was horrifying. Naomi had lost a wing, the whole thing had been ripped from the gem dragon's back and still she fought back with the added weight of the young gargoyle on her back. Bruin had lost his helm and a large part of his armor; he was obviously seen as the cyclops he was in truth now. He prodded Naomi on, the two protected by Greta's steadily weakening shield.  
It didn't keep everything away, the melee combatants could still get in past it and Naomi used her shards without hesitation. Bruin had been riddled with them anywhere he wasn't protected and had been forced to keep one armored hand up to protect his vulnerable eye and head.

Greta backed up as her companions thundered towards her. They were battered, bruised and running purely on adrenaline by that point. All at once the drow witch's shield failed. "Move!" she screamed before she flung herself into the portal.  
Naomi was hot on her heels and Bruin wouldn't have made it if he didn't grab her tail at the last moment to haul himself in.  
"Follow them!" the dark brown unicorn styled mother wailed hysterically. She threw herself into the portal and was followed by four others. The fifth never made it, he was only partially in before the portal simply winked out and his neatly severed back half fell to the ground with a sickening thump.  
Greta pushed Bruin and Naomi on; she had frantically cast one last spell that would hide them from view. It was a weak spell though and began to give out as they seemingly turned to walk straight up a wall. The shock of the gargoyle that had died at the entrance portal faded quickly when someone caught the wavering outlines of the three Darksiders and their precious cargo. "Go, go!" Greta screamed shrilly as she ran at the portal. She shouldered Naomi with her bad arm and didn't even as much as wince during it. Greta vanished first, Naomi would have been the first had she been in peak condition but as well as missing a wing she was forcing herself to run on a twisted ankle.  
"Hurry!" Bruin shrieked, he was stuck behind the dragon and didn't dare step around her for fear of losing the path.  
"I'm going as fast as I can!" Naomi howled back. She roared a second later when two gargoyles dropped down on her. They had flown at her, the rest weren't far behind. Naomi pressed her wing down tightly on the unconscious youth she held and struggled the last two steps until she reached the portal with the gargoyles in tow.  
"Naomi!" Bruin yelled. He reached out and just did catch a wing of a departing gargoyle before he forced himself through. The mother of the child he held bellowed loudly and made Bruin's ears ache; she grabbed the cyclops by the back of the armor and forced herself through the portal with him. The last two gargoyles didn't make it, the portal winked out and left them fluttering around in the void roaring angrily at the luck.

The disorientation from using the portal was especially hard on the gargoyles. In the confusion that met the Amber Clan members on the other side they found themselves bound tightly in the weaves of magic before another spell made their eyelids grow heavy and bodies go limp.  
"Two, you managed to bring me only _two_ gargoyle children?" an incredulous voice asked that grew louder later into the statement. "And these others? What do you expect me to do with full grown and _willful_ gargoyles?"  
Naomi dropped the gargoyle teen she carried and crumpled to the floor; she was dizzy and weak from her wounds and couldn't hold onto consciousness any longer. Greta sank to her knees and kept her head down as she panted hard. That left only Bruin standing before the diminutive form of Kaos, his taller troll butler Glumshanks and the strangely thin and lithe drow warlock Asmodeus.

"Where is that revolting troll that went with you?" Kaos asked with his lip curled up. "And stop bleeding all over my floor!"  
Bruin shook his head as he deposited the little girl he carried onto the floor. "Clod came through first; He should have been here before us."  
"Yes, well, he's _not_!" Kaos barked. "The fool must have failed," he snorted and turned quickly with a flip of the black robe he wore. "Are any of these adults psionics?" He looked disdainfully on the heap of bodies that looked like a conglomerate of creatures to his eyes.  
"I don't know, Lord Kaos," Greta finally answered; Kaos kept his back to her and she felt relief over it. "They managed to follow us through the portal after the children we took were found missing."

Kaos looked to Asmodeus pointedly. "They are _your_ responsibility. If they cause _me_ any trouble you will pay for it with _your_ _life_," the evil Portal Master said with narrowed eyes. Kaos made the move to leave before a thought overtook him. He turned on his heel quickly and nearly slammed into Glumshanks; the troll had moved to follow him and made not a sound while he did. "Out, out of my bubble!" Kaos snarled at the taller troll as he waved his hands about as if he intended to slap Glumshanks anyway he could. The troll shuffled off with a soft 'yes Master Kaos' and kept his head bowed. "Get to work on those children, Asmodeus. Use your little _friends_," he snarled the last word contemptuously, "to test out how well you have subdued and gained control of the young psionics. _Then_ I want you to find out if any of those adults are psionics," he pointed furiously back at the heap of gargoyles on the floor. "Kill any that aren't. Do I make myself clear?"  
Asmodeus clenched his jaw, "Perfectly clear, Lord Kaos," he said with a curt bow.  
"Good," Kaos nodded in a satisfied manner. "I want results by morning. I want those two minds ready to bend others to _my_ will. _I_ will test them on another of the smaller clans. The more young minds _I_ can warp the easier this will be!"

A golden coin sang out with a whistle as a blast of energy hit it in midair and put a clean hole right through the center.  
"Bulls eye!" Trigger cried out happily. "Great shot, Dro!" the gremlin clapped heartily for his friend as the coin Trigger had fired into the air landed with a clink on the stones littered about in the field; the perfectly round hole in the center was still smoking from the laser blast. The Skylanders hadn't found a practice area meant for their weapons so they had left the city to create their own. Trigger would fire coins for Drobot's lasers and the dragon would launch blade gears for the gremlin.  
"What's the score?"  
"Uh," Trigger said as he looked to the flat rock he had been scratching tallies into. "Six to seven, you're leading. But you have _targeting_ mechanisms so bah!"  
Drobot chuckled at the quiver in Trigger Happy's ears as he glared at him. "I will turn my sights off, then. Better yet," the dragon murmured as he went about loosening his helm. "There," the dragon said once his green and rust colored head was free of his hand-crafted armor. "Now we are on equal footing."  
"New tallies then," the gremlin said happily as he made two new columns on the rock.

Drobot had to smile at his excitable little friend. Trigger Happy was very apt at picking himself back up from a sour mood quite quickly. All he needed was someone to make a challenge to him and the gremlin could push anything out of his mind. Drobot was genuinely surprised by the next thing his friend said.  
"Do you think Sprocket will forgive me for what I said to her?"  
Trigger Happy had blurted one thing out and it was hardly mean or hurtful. "Of course she will. I bet she's already gotten over it."  
"Good," Trigger Happy nodded to himself before he turned back around. "Cuz I'd hate for her to stay mad at me. She's the only girl in the techs!"  
Drobot laughed, it was a deep seated and highly amused sound. "Well if you count the copies there are lots of girls. Do you have eyes for her?"  
Trigger Happy's right eye twitched as did his ear and he gave Drobot the funniest look, "No! Ew, she's got no fur! She's all naked, not my type," the gremlin said with his tongue out in disgust. "She's like my sister! Or an aunt, I don't want anyone in my family to be mad at me."  
Drobot's smile turned warm, "You count us all as family?"  
"Well yeah, except for maybe Gill. He's like that homeless guy that always hangs around." Trigger's face split into a wide grin and Drobot didn't know if he was being serious or just trying to throw him for a loop.

"Uh, you go first," Drobot said after a moment and launched two gears up high for the gremlin.  
Trigger Happy giggled as he took aim and fired once then twice, both shots sailed true and the gears shattered.  
"Why is it in practice you can aim true but in battle you're all over the place?" Drobot asked as he watched Trigger Happy scratch a tally under his name.  
"Gotta live up to my name somehow," the gremlin grinned. "Ready?" When Drobot nodded he fired two coins. Drobot watched them and fired the lasers on his wings since he lacked his helm and that method of fire. Only one coin was hit, the other just barely escaped the beam.  
"How do we count that?" Drobot asked. It had been just one target at a time before, to suddenly handicap him and use two targets almost seemed unfair.  
"All or nuthin'!" Trigger Happy exclaimed.  
Drobot shifted his weight. "Oh it's on." It felt good to get his mind off Sprocket's foul mood. Maybe she just needed some time to herself. Drobot couldn't see Trigger and himself spending too much more time practicing. They would be back in the city before long and hunting for Sprocket in no time. _Siblings_, Drobot thought as he fired a couple of gears for Trigger Happy. The gremlin cackled insanely and covered his eyes with one hand as he fired the other gun. _I've got one seriously crazy family_, the tech dragon grinned. _I wouldn't trade them for the world_.

"I suppose I should have known it would not be that easy to learn anything," Elanniah sighed. The former queen had tucked herself away in the family's private library. It had a multitude of plush chairs and end tables that held either vases or items of interest that were tagged and labeled for their significance. The book shelves themselves were short half cases so the view outside the window could be seen from any seat in the open room.  
Ceron watched his mother close the book she was reading and fold her hands in her lap. It was strange to see her without the crown on her head. But as it no longer belonged to her she couldn't keep it. It was safe for the moment; sitting on a velvet pillow that was resting in the chair dedicated to the queen in the main audience hall. It would remain there until the morrow when it would be laid upon Seraphina's head the moment she and Kaelin exchanged their vows. The prince wrangled his thoughts back to the present; he had news for his mother following the first investigation of Asmodeus's escape.  
"The Cores are spreading word to the other present Skylanders about a meeting at the temple later. I want to ask them to stay while not bringing in new faces. I cannot shake the feeling Kaos will strike soon and I want a safety net of Skylanders in place. They can bring in help faster than anyone else no matter where Kaos decides to strike."  
Elanniah made a face, "Your father was always the better military mind. I was just the pacifist that allowed him to see the other side of an issue." The prior sighed and rose to her feet. "Tell me how you plan to utilize the Skylanders if it is not here that Kaos strikes."

"They will go to the source of course and will be able to get there instantaneously. I had hoped to keep at least one as an advisor to us so word can travel quickly if we should need the assistance of the Skylanders. I want to do the same for each of the other kingdoms."  
"I suggest using the group I assigned to the elfwood patrol for Haven." Elanniah cocked her head to the side. "What do you think your brother will do?"  
"He will go where ever he is needed and will return if we have need of him."  
"And you?"  
Ceron thought about it for a moment, "I do not have the ability to move as he does. I will remain here in Haven. This is where I can do the most good."  
Elanniah smiled, "I had hoped you would say that. As a mother I want to keep both of my sons by my sides at all times. Kaelin is king; he knows his duty and what is expected of him. He is also a Skylander with a second set of responsibilities. For you my youngest there is only duty to your king and country. I worry for you both but there is a strange sort of comfort knowing that if Kaelin falls in battle he simply returns to Earth to rest. If I were to lose you," Elanniah murmured as she stood and approached her son to cup his cheek in her hand. She gave him a sad sort of smile, "there is no means of protection to bring you back to me. Stay close to me, Ceron. I cannot bear to lose you like I did your father and to a certain extent Kaelin."

Ceron had never even thought of his own mortality. He closed his eyes and rested his cheek in his mother's hand; she had always been there for him through everything. When they had lost their father Elanniah had put on such a strong face for her sons. She went out of her way to make sure they never saw her cry but both had at some point. Her soft sobs always managed to find their way to her sons. Then they lost Kaelin and Elanniah's strong outer reflection shattered as she feared losing Ceron next. "You will not lose me, mother," Ceron said softly. "We will prevail." He opened his eyes and searched her face, she was smiling but tears had welled up in her eyes regardless.  
"I know," she said as she ran her hand down Ceron's cheek then clasped both her hands in front of her. "I know we will prevail but the path we will take to reach that point is unknown and the source of my worries."  
Ceron leaned in to kiss his mother on the cheek. "We have strong individuals around us. Worry not; it will only weigh you down. Know that Kaelin, I, you and all of us are protected."

"Prior Elanniah, Prince Ceron," a palace servant with red hair and bronze skin said as she swept into the room and dipped into a bow before the mother and son duo, "Forgive me. But there is a Portal Master here to see you; she presides over the group that was sent to patrol the elfwood."  
"It is Kaelin she should be speaking to now," Elanniah replied. She moved partially back to the arm chair that still had her book laid atop it before she turned back to the servant. "No, I will meet with her but until Kaelin returns she is to differ to Ceron in my stead. I have passed the laurels of rule for the second time, I cannot take them up again without giving the impression I do not find Kaelin fit to rule."  
"Where would you like to meet her, Prior?" the servant looked quickly to Ceron, "Prince?"  
"Take her to our casual sitting room," Ceron said after a moment. "Make her comfortable. We will most likely be speaking for a while. There is much to share."

The morning light had shifted as it drew nearer to noon; with nothing much to occupy themselves the group of Skylanders that had been banned from Haven sat on the dock engaging other visitors in conversation or trying to entertain themselves in any way possible.  
"Do you have any threes?"  
Sprint looked up over the cards in her hands, "Go fish," she told Polo.  
"Aw, again?" the Wrecking Balling groaned. He moved a chubby little paw towards the deck and pulled up cards with a reasonable amount of difficulty. The blue grub grunted and tried to slide the extra cards back in the pile once he had pulled out the one card he was supposed to draw. He, Ashlina, Windy and Sprint were all playing. Sprint was the only one of them with actual hands and fingers capable of handling the cards comfortably. Coincidentally it was also Sprint's deck they were playing with.  
Ashlina looked to Windy, "Alright. Got any fives?"  
"I was hoping you would have forgotten!" Windy scowled before she gave the Cynderling what she had requested.  
The undead dragon giggled softly and laid out her matches. It looked like she might clear her hand first. "You only asked everyone else the past two turns!" Ashlina grinned.

"Heads up, we have company," Steek said as he stood up from the crate he had been seated on. He had just seen a Voodoodling ask a dock worker something and was pointed in their direction. The Ignitorling recognized his style of clothing; he had been in Uzern with them.  
"You are Krystal's Skylanders?" the orc asked with a bow; his hand slid down his halberd with the act. "I am Niall Miach, we met in Uzern. Some of you I know from before," he turned to Sprint and Windy. He couldn't forget the red scarf the Whirlwindling wore, it was too flamboyant to.  
"Did something happen?" Windy abandoned her cards instantly and when Polo followed her Sprint made the move to gather up the deck with Ashlina's help. "Where's my biffer? Where's Krystal?"  
Niall held up his hand to quell any further questions. "She is awaiting King Kaelin's return. I am here however for another purpose. There is to be a gathering of Skylanders at the temple within the hour an-"  
"That's nice, we're banned from the city," Scorch cut the orc off. "Why aren't you?" he tilted his head towards Niall. "What makes you so special that you aren't banished and stuck on patrol duty around the elfwood?" The Spyroling didn't pay any attention to the bitter stares he received from Timber, Mystic and Lunar.  
"-and I am here to inform you of the topic that will be discussed," Niall finished without a hint of irritation.

"Are we going to battle?" Steek asked. He moved his hand to the hilt of his flaming sword and rested his fingers on the pommel.  
"If it comes to that," Niall nodded. "Skylanders are going to be sent to other elven kingdoms to form a web of communications. We are expecting Kaos to strike back at us using the information we were unable to keep from reaching him. You are assigned to Haven; it will go hand in hand with the sentence the former queen gave you."  
"So we've been integrated into the army?" Timber questioned.  
The orc shook his head, "Not specifically; no. You will function as Skylanders do normally. If the alarm is raised elsewhere on Tour you will be sent to render aid immediately. Skylanders can move quicker and more efficiently than our armies can. You are on the front lines. All that is asked of you is that you bring every Skylander you can reach with you. Be that they are under Krystal's guidance or not."  
"Now we're your attack dogs?" Scorch said with a sneer.  
"Scorch, shut up!" Ashlina hissed at him. She flashed a glare hard enough to turn his heart to ice.  
"Until you are needed," Niall continued on as if he hadn't been interrupted, "you will hold to your patrols around the elfwood. Everything I have told you is subject to change if the king so sees fit."

"Why bother telling us then?" Polo cocked his head to the side in confusion.  
"Because Kaos could strike at any minute," Sprint answered. "Alright, we're game. Now, what about Krystal?"  
"She is in the company of the Cores that were part of the mental battle for Timber's freedom and Prince Ceron. Your Portal Master has been told the same thing I have brought to you and has agreed to it."  
"Are we supposed to just sit here and wait for someone to tell us we're needed?" Lunar held her hands out. "If you are going to send others away to prepare then so shouldn't we be allowed the same?"  
"Forgive me; perhaps you did not hear me. You have been assigned to Haven; you will remain here in Atlee's countryside on the edge of the elfwood completing the task originally assigned to you until you are needed. We want the city to look as if there is nothing amiss and so long as there is no sudden surplus of Skylanders in any kingdom it will give the impression that we can be caught by surprise."

"Tour, Atlee, Haven, Uzern; where _are_ we?" Scorch growled.  
"Tour is the _continent_, dummy. You know the earth you're standing on? Atlee is the _country's_ name, Haven is the _capital city_ and Uzern is the dead city in the elfwood," Ashlina rolled her eyes. "Learn some basic geography!" The Spyroling snorted and sat down in a huff, he turned a glare on anyone that looked at him. "When and where are you expecting the attack?" Ashlina inquired.  
"It will start with the gargoyle clans first, unfortunately," the orc sighed. "They should be communicating between one another and in turn with the elven cities so news can spread. As soon as there is any sort of development word will filter through the network."  
"Tour's a big continent," Timber said with a sigh as he sat down on the dock. He was still taller than the smaller standing figures around him. "Your network will be stretched thin."  
"In the beginning," Niall nodded. "You will have to forgive me; I need to continue to spread the word to the other Skylanders in the city. Krystal will return to you with anything new." The orc dipped into a bow and turned to leave.

"So," Windy asked as she stepped forward about five paces, "as well as patrol for the elfwood we're reinforcements for possibly a city we've never been to?" The Whirlwindling shook her head, "Things used to be so simple. How'd they get so wonk?" She watched the orc depart, Niall held himself regally and walked with a confidence that said he knew what he had to do and had no qualms with it.  
"You made some new friends, Wind. And they had _a lot_ of baggage it seems," Sprint said as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.  
"I guess," Windy looked to the Stealthling. "We've had some adventures, huh?" She gave a sheepish sort of smile as she turned back to her group. There was nothing to do but wait for Krystal apparently.  
"I would rather _not_ repeat that crazy trek through my mind again. That was the stuff of nightmares," Lunar shuddered. "I'll take good old fashioned combat any day of the week."  
Mystic laced her fingers behind her head and leaned up against Flynn's docked copter. "There should be plenty of that in the future."

"What about a handsome guy discount?"  
Sprocket froze in mid-step; she recognized that voice and had to suppress a groan. Ever so slowly she turned to the side and sure enough she saw Flynn's brown aviator jacket and pilot's hat from the back. The mabu was at a stall in the market district trying to buy, well Sprocket couldn't tell what he was trying to buy but he was laying the charm on thick and falling short of the mark with the eirian woman on the other side of the counter. The champagne skinned eirian had her lips pressed so thin they had nearly turned white as she eyed Flynn in disbelief.  
"No such discount?" the pilot asked. "Maybe you should think about picking it up," he clicked his tongue and pointed at her with his thumb up behind the index finger. "It could certainly drum up a lot of business for you! You know, if you knock about five gold off that I'll be more than happy to name drop you in my travels. And believe me," Flynn laughed, "I travel _a lot_. They know me everywhere!" he extended his arms to emphasize his point.

"I will subtract five gold from the asking price to get you to go away," the eirian merchant grumbled.  
"You got yourself a deal, lady. Boom!"  
The eirian turned with a sour look on her face to pick up Flynn's purchase. Sprocket finally saw what it was and was surprised; Flynn had bought a cask of elven spirits that was heavy enough the poor merchant could hardly get it up on the counter for him. What could he possibly want with that much wine? Flynn handed over the gold he owed and happily hefted the cask up onto his shoulder with a bit of effort. It looked a little large for him to handle alone and in spite of her better judgment Sprocket moved in quickly to assist the mabu.

"Geez Flynn, I didn't know you drank like a fish."  
"Sprocket!" the pilot said in surprise when she helped evenly distribute the cask's weight. "What're you doing in town?"  
"I never left," the golding huffed when Flynn tried to shove more weight off on her. "Hey, numbskull, if you put any more of the weight on me you're gonna lose your wine when I drop it!" she warned. Flynn took the extra weight off her almost instantly. "Where you going with this?"  
"Back to my copter," he grunted. "Uh, which way is the dock again?"  
"This way," Sprocket poorly hid her frustration. Hopefully she could help him get his cargo on board and she could go about her business.

"So, whaddya still doing in the city? Vacation or something?"  
Sprocket rolled her eyes, was Flynn really going to try and spark small talk? "There's been enough going on recently to keep my attention," the golding said simply. She shifted the cask's weight. Light, why _did_ Flynn buy it?  
"I just got back in town myself, yep, on a top secret mission. Sorry, no details because it's you know secret and stuff."  
"I can hardly contain my curiosity," Sprocket replied flatly.  
"Okay ya talked me into it!" Flynn said happily as he tried to look around the cask that was between them to no avail. "I brought those Skylanders back that we went to rescue from that overgrown elven ghost city place."  
The golding stumbled a few paces and had to scramble to catch her end of the cask. "You did _what_? Flynn, I heard the queen's address about what happened. They were banned, if you smuggled them in you too could find yourself in a mess!"  
"Hey, don't you worry your pretty little red head, Goldie," Flynn grunted as he helped Sprocket set the cask down, the sloshing of the liquid inside made it harder to carry than he expected. "They're sitting on the docks," he informed the Skylander while he ran a sleeve over his forehead. "Magic keeps em out, they can't enter. Besides it was their Portal Master that was on her way to speak to this elf queen lady."

"Don't go anywhere," Sprocket said as she pointed to Flynn. "I'm going to find a cart to get us back to the docks with this blasted booze barrel before it wears me out this early in the day."  
Flynn happily sat down on the upturned cask and gave Sprocket a salute, "I'll guard it with my life. Not that anyone would even think of taking it with my charming, handsome and oh so heroic self majestically perched atop it like a… majestic warrior of… uh, might."  
The golding worked her tongue around in her mouth, it was the only way she could keep herself from firing back a snide remark at him. On the up side seeing Flynn had managed to change her mood more towards normal again. As strange a thought as it was but Sprocket was glad for the distraction. "Just… don't move." She motioned for him to stay seated before Sprocket turned to stride off.

"Whoa, easy Fright," Rider murmured softly to his undead mount when a charcoal grey orniteryx snapped his hooked beak in the ostrich's face.  
"I'm sorry!" the Gill Gruntling that was sitting astride the bird gasped. He sawed at the reins and the orniteryx gave a squawk of irritation before he jerked his head away from Fright. The war bird ruffled his feathers and seemed to increase in size as he hissed at Fright again.  
Fright met the challenge with a hiss of his own and Rider scolded him before he turned to the Gruntling, "Restrain your animal, lad!"  
"He's a rental, I don't know much about him!" the gillman said, his voice was laced with panic as the orniteryx began to scratch at the ground and bob his head while he made a low crackling sound. When he loosened his wings to make himself look even bigger Rider knew there would be trouble.

"Submit, Fright," Rider said as he pointedly looked away from the orniteryx. Fright not only lowered his head but looked away as well before he hunkered down on his belly then laid his neck out flat across the ground. The sickle claws of the orniteryx's feet danced inches away from Fright's beak. "And you," Rider said to the Gruntling without looking up, "I suggest you return that bird to the stable you rented him from. You obviously don't know what you're doing and are going to hurt yourself, the bird or someone else."  
"Ye-yeah, good idea," the gillman's voice cracked. He made a clicking sound with his tongue as he tried to turn the grey war bird away. "Come on, let's go boy. Good boy, just like that."  
_Good boy my halberd_, Rider thought. _I can hear the bird's claws scratching the paving stones as that foolish gillman tugs the reins to make him turn. How did he ever manage to rent such a dangerous animal?_ "One more thing," Rider said quickly when he remembered why he was riding through the streets, "As soon as you've returned that awful creature head towards the Temple of Light. There is a gathering of Skylanders there before the noon hour."  
"Yeah, ok. Got it."

Rider murmured softly to Fright and the ostrich shifted his weight to rise back up to his feet. Rider didn't think the Gruntling had actually heard a word he said. He looked over his shoulder in time to see a soldier approach the gillman and request he get off the bird that moment. The soldier did wonders and calmed the orniteryx down instantly before he escorted Gruntling and bird back to where ever they had come from.  
"Remember how it took us a while to get to the point where we could ride confidently?" he chuckled and stroked a few of Fright's vertebra. The ostrich chirped happily and sauntered off in the direction Rider guided him to with his knees. "Although you acted like I weighed a ton and kept sitting down," Rider smirked. "You're a good friend, Fright. I wouldn't trade you for the world," the undead elf smiled at the back of his mount's head. "Our section of the city has almost been covered. We'll loop around it once more to be certain though."


	50. Preludes and Promises

**Preludes and Promises**

"Leave, you are not welcome here!"  
The elf's voice was booming and hurt Ghost Roaster's ears. The ghoul had been yelled at and threatened as well as he had watched elves break down and cry. He had nearly been attacked on more than one occasion. He was tired of it. All of these reactions were about someone that had been dead for centuries; hardly any of the eirian the ghoul had spoken to could actually claim to have known the spirit in life. Ghost Roaster was finally beginning to understand just how important Uzern and its population of spirits were. Ghost Roaster tried to shrink away from the molten glare the swordsman was now giving him. He prostrated himself on the ground and tilted his head so his eyes met with the sparse grass that covered the area.

"I need names, please," the ghoul mewed quietly. "I am to deliver the message to all of Duane Neely's descendants."  
"I am the last one!" the obsidian skinned elf snapped as he balled his hands into fists. "I have heard from aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins all about you and what you have done. There is no one else to speak to!"  
Ghost Roaster swallowed hard out of reflex and slowly rolled back up, he was still hovering in what passed as a kneeling position. "Then allow me to offer you my services as per my agreement with Queen Elanniah."  
The dark skinned elf slashed his hand through the air and turned. "I reject your offer as all before me have. Go, return to the palace and tell _Prior_ Elanniah that we want nothing to do with you. Let the royal family decide what to do with you."

Ghost Roaster nearly jumped a mile in the air when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whipped around quickly after brushing it off then grabbed at his heart, or what would have been his heart, with a sigh. "Geez, you could have warned me first."  
"Come, we should take our leave," Roghallach said softly as his eyes flickered back towards the elf that stood with his back to them. "We are done here."  
The ghoul pushed himself up off the dirt and grass. He brushed himself off and turned with the rattle of mace and chain to follow the commander. He stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said softly. He knew the other elf had heard him when he saw him tense up. Ghost Roaster turned back around and drifted up alongside the patiently waiting Roghallach. "I'm ready, Sir," he said.

Roghallach waited until they were a few streets away from the site of the confrontation before he spoke again, "I have heard rumors in passing of a meeting of Skylanders at the Temple of Light. I believe we should attend this before we return to the palace."  
"You don't have to take me there; whatever they talk about probably won't concern me. I have obligations to the crown now."  
Roghallach squinted at Ghost Roaster, "I will take the blame if you are not supposed to be in attendance. You have obligations as a Skylander too. You are going."  
The ghoul was taken aback by his tone, as blessedly amiable as the commander had been Ghost Roaster still took him for someone that stuck to orders. As far as either of them knew the meeting of Skylanders had nothing to do with the crown or Ghost Roaster's obligations to the descendants of the spirit he had destroyed.

As he drifted alongside Roghallach's long strides Ghost Roaster tilted his head up and thought about everything that had happened since his arrival. He didn't really feel like a hero after his recent actions. If anything he found himself hated and shunned by the people he had tried to save. And still, even after the harsh words and glares he found himself unable to feel anger towards them. They weren't ungrateful for his efforts or those of his fellow Skylanders. They were simply mourning a loss of profound proportions.  
"Commander Roghallach! Ghost Roaster!"  
Ghost Roaster's head whipped up instantly at the sound of Double Trouble's voice. The tiki man was gliding quickly up to them and seemed quite pleased to have found them. "You're still in town?" Ghost Roaster asked his fellow Skylander.  
"Never left," the tiki man grinned back. "You are looking well, Ghost. How goes your…quest?"  
"I just finished," Ghost Roaster nodded solemnly.  
"Perfect," Double Trouble exclaimed. "You are able to join us for a meeting at the Temple of Light?" he obviously differed to the elven commander next to his friend.

"Spyro is leading this gathering?" the elf asked.  
"And the whole thing is sanctioned by the royal family. Join us if you will? I would tell you more but I must spread the word to others as quickly as possible. Just before noon it should begin."  
"Thank you, Double Trouble," Roghallach nodded. He watched the magic Skylander flag down another and shared the information again. "Sanctioned by the royal family," the commander repeated. "It will be well worth sitting in on in that case."  
"What could it be about?"  
Roghallach watched Double Trouble a while longer before he turned back to Ghost Roaster, "What else but the unfinished business of Uzern?"

"I'm not going back _there_," the ghoul almost sounded afraid.  
The elf shook his head, "And you will not be asked. We could speculate on what the meeting will entail or we can attend and see for ourselves."  
The Skylander drifted ahead of Roghallach, "I'm going." He got a fair distance ahead of the eirian before he stopped and turned around. Roghallach hadn't moved from the spot he stood at and had folded his arms across his chest. "Um," Ghost Roaster nearly voiced his question but Roghallach pointed in the opposite direction and began to walk that way. "Right, Temple is _this_ way," Ghost Roaster murmured as he followed.

"Where's the beast of burden?"  
Sprocket gave Flynn a look that just screamed 'really?' Didn't he see her return pulling it herself? "It's a hand cart, Flynn. There is no hitch for an animal. Just help me get the cask on it and I'll pull it. I don't want you to break a nail."  
"Hey thanks!" Flynn said brightly. He had completely missed her point. He hopped off the barrel and hefted it up as the golding wheeled the cart alongside him. "Aren't you lucky to have a big strong man like me around to help you with all this heavy lifting," Flynn flashed Sprocket his most charming grin.  
"The luckiest woman in Skylands," Sprocket said unenthusiastically. So that was what Cali had to look forward to during their long mission trips. "Just put it on the cart already!" Sprocket exclaimed when Flynn danced from side to side as the cask's weight pulled him around. She flinched when he nearly tripped and thumped the container down heavily in the bed of the cart. The whole thing lurched and creaked and Sprocket watched it as she held her breath. "You break it the guy that let me borrow it said we have to buy it."  
"We gotta give it back?" Flynn asked as he leaned on the upturned cask. He acted like he had carried it the whole way by himself and had the nerve to try and sit on the cart behind it.  
"Yes, we gotta give it back," Sprocket repeated in imitation of his voice. "There's a place at the docks with that seal on the door," she pointed to the metal plate nailed to the side that depicted a small cart piled high with boxes, crates and other things as well as the text Holding & Co. Distributers burned into the wood under it.

"Well get goin'! This cart ain't gonna haul itself," the mabu said as he stretched out behind the cask. "What?" he gave Sprocket a lazy glance.  
The golding simply shook her head, if the Skylanders didn't need his services she would have just walked off. But light forbid he decided to raise a stink and make it look like the Skylanders were causing trouble _again_. "You are the most," the golding trailed off with a sigh. She wasn't going to say it, it wasn't worth it.  
"Most what, handsome? Daring? Heroic and charming pilot in all of Skylands? I know, Sprocket, I know," he grinned as he laced his fingers behind his head and bent one knee to prop the other ankle across it. "What would you do without me, anyway? The Skylanders would be nothing without the ruggedly handsome, brilliantly wise and most _awesome_ Captain Flynn. Yep."  
Sprocket groaned softly and put the cart to her back before she picked up the handles and began to pull. Well, it was lighter than she had expected. Sprocket grinned to herself, Cali was right; Flynn _was_ full of hot air.

The sound of armored feet on the stone floor echoed through the hall then changed to the dull ring of metal on thick carpet a moment later. A pearl skinned eirian with a mop of rich brown hair turned a corner quickly and nearly ran into a liveried servant dressed in black with the turquoise Capricorn of the Reve family emblazed on the back of his jacket.  
"Overseer Magee!" the servant barked. He nearly dropped the armload of papers he carried. A few did swirl up and away in the sudden jerk he made to avoid slamming into the Overseer of the Guard for the palace of Meir Valan.  
Magee Silver stooped to help the servant pick up the papers he had dropped and waited for the servant to scurry on his way before the Overseer too picked up the pace. He rounded a few more corners, alcoves decorated with suits of armor or small round tables topped with trinkets and vases before he reached the double doors he was looking for. Magee raised a hand and rapt his knuckles four times on the door.

"You may enter," King Hayden's voice drifted through the thick wood.  
Magee turned the knob and pushed the door open. Thin curls of smoke rose in delicate wisps towards the ceiling of the room. The center had a circular hole that could be opened or closed according to the present company's whim and at the moment it was open to the late morning sky so the smoke could escape through it. Sticks of incense were lit all around the circular room and the haze they left was slowly drawn up and through the whole of the ceiling. The center of the room was depressed, a short flight of three stairs ran the circumference of the depression and the floor in the center of it was littered with pillows. The room was one of meditation, a safe haven meant to remain quiet and reserved only for peaceful conversations and interactions. The dark haired King and blond haired Queen of Meir Valan sat on plush pillows in the center, both were dressed only in a simple white robe with sleeves that ran to their wrists and a hem that brushed the floor. The only thing that marked the two individuals as the rulers of the kingdom was the crowns still in place on their brow.

The Overseer of the guard bowed deeply to the king and queen once he removed the cylinder he had tucked under his right arm. "This came from Haven this morning, inscribed by Archmage Mihangel and brought to my attention." He held it out for the king as he rose to his feet.  
Hayden opened the top of the metal container as he sat down and withdrew the paper from the interior. It was stamped with the Archmage's letter head and written in his flowing hand. Hayden began to read it, his facial expression lit up the further he got into the letter before he laughed heartily. By then Queen Delyth was eagerly trying to peer over his shoulder or take the page from his grasp. "Have you read the news, Magee?" the king beamed at him.  
The Overseer held his hand up but grinned widely, "The Archmage could not contain his excitement and told me before he had even handed the canister to me."

"Hayden," the queen scowled as she tried to wrest the page from him. "I would very much like to know what in Skylands has the two of you grinning like loons!"  
"Our daughter is finally getting married on the morrow. Our eldest is on the precipice of becoming Queen of Haven," Hayden finally laughed.  
Delyth's eyes grew wide and she grasped her heart gently with her right hand, "Truthfully?"  
"Truthfully," Hayden said softly before he leaned in to kiss his wife on the forehead and hand her the page. "Steward Dai must be informed that we will be absent tomorrow for the ceremony."  
The king turned back to Magee and the Overseer understood the unspoken command. "I will do so immediately," the bowed again. "Congratulations, old friend," he smiled at Hayden warmly. He dipped into a short bow then left the room as quickly and quietly as he had entered it.

"Our little princess, a queen now," Delyth smiled as her eyes welled up with tears. "Oh Hayden, this is just what we needed. This whole banishment of the Skylanders has taken so much from us. A bright ray now will make it bearable again."  
Hayden took his wife, the mother of his children, into his arms and smiled as he nuzzled her neck gently. "In two years you and I shall relinquish our titles of King and Queen of Meir Valan for Anicetus to ascend. I only hope the curse is broken before then, how could a fire spirit ever hope to woo his future queen if she cannot even so much as touch him?"  
Delyth lifted Hayden's chin gently then closed her eyes to kiss him tenderly. "With or without the curse Anicetus will find his future queen. I am not worried; there is an undeniable strength to the Skylanders."

"This is a topic for another day," Hayden smiled as he ran a finger gently over the curve of Delyth's cheek. "Our eldest is going to be married tomorrow. We have preparations to make to ensure Dai can handle things while we are away.  
"My sister Eilidh and her husband Riordan are still in town; Seraphina will be so pleased to see them in attendance as well. I might be able to get my other sister Ailish here in time as well. You need to invite Heremon and Iona as well. So many people to extend an invitation to!" Delyth sounded almost like a little girl again with her excitement and beaming expression. "Oh!" the queen gasped before she grabbed Hayden by the sleeves, "Amara, Morwen and Aelwen! They do not yet know they will have parts to play in the wedding! Unless Prior Elanniah has set things up differently. We must go right away!" Delyth said as she made a move for the door. "I cannot let Elanniah handle everything on her own; her son is marrying my daughter!"  
Hayden didn't say a word as his wife swept out of the room talking to herself, it was good to see her so excited again. It was good to feel the excitement himself. Through it all his children were showing how strong they were, even with the limitations Seraphina was willing to take the weight of a kingdom on her shoulders alongside Kaelin. Hayden moved about the room to snuff out the incense and close the porthole in the ceiling before he too departed and left the room silent.

"The Temple of Light, it feels like just yesterday I was here last," Seraphina said as she approached the largely overgrown building in Uzern.  
_It almost was only yesterday. Things have happened so quickly even _we_ have lost track of time_, the spirit priest Uriel answered.  
"This would have been my kingdom if not for the drow," Kaelin said as he looked at every overgrown structure he could make out. "This is my ancestral home." The Riderling separated himself from the others and walked across the natural wooden bridge that led to the temple. He could already see the glow within, the door was open and pretty much the only part of the side of the temple he could see that wasn't overgrown. Kaelin wished to see the palace too, perhaps later. He had an obligation to fulfill elsewhere once he had received the gift Uriel had promised him.

Seraphina hesitated in following Kaelin and held an arm out when her brother tried to pass her. She barely shook her head for the Ignitorling. For Kaelin seeing Uzern was akin to learning a relative he had never met had passed away and left him an inheritance he could never imagine. "Wait here," she said softly to her group. She inclined her head for Uriel and the priest dipped into a bow before he drifted after the King of Haven and the heir of Uzern.  
"I am anxious," Eloryn murmured as she came up on Seraphina's other side. She looked at her sister; the Hexling was more intent on watching the quiet conversation between Kaelin and Uriel. "Why do you look so sad?"  
Seraphina placed her hand over her heart, "There is so much sadness in the city now. The spirits know Kaelin is going to release them and it feels to them like leaving everything they have ever known. I thought they would be pleased to finally find rest and rejoin the light. But… they say the city truly will die when they are gone."

"When we first came through," Crevan spoke up suddenly, "We were asked to bring the elves back to Uzern."  
"That decision rests with Kaelin," Rafer looked towards the Riderling pointedly. "And to a certain extent all of the elven kingdoms of Tour. This is our holy ground; to repopulate something so sacred would alter it and change it."  
"Camo made a very convincing point," Anicetus turned from his sisters to rejoin the others. "The trees are as much alive as we are; they had formed a deep symbiotic bond with the elves of Uzern in the days of old. They miss us, he said. They were thrilled when we first came through. I can only imagine their excitement over seeing us back once more. But the spirits were all the trees had without the presence of the living elves. We are about to send them away, perhaps that is what Seraphina is feeling as well."

"A promise was made to try and repopulate the elfwood, perhaps not Uzern itself but bring elves back to the trees who feel we have left them," Crevan finished.  
"When Seraphina weds Kaelin," Teranika spoke suddenly to Rafer, "I will no longer be in her service. She will take a hand maid rather than a lady in waiting. You could request to be released as well; she will be assigned new guardians in Haven. We could move here to the elfwood, Rafer. We may be only two but it is a start."  
The Flameslingerling nodded and looked back to the city. He could see himself living in such a large and open area. It would suit him well to be away from the hustle and bustle of the large cities. "We would leave the service of your uncle as well, are you comfortable with swearing fealty to a new king and queen?"  
"New," the Stealthling grinned, even though the face wasn't the one she was born with she still smiled the same, "Seraphina and Kaelin are hardly new or strange."  
"I never said strange," Rafer laughed.  
"Oh but you would have," Teranika wagged a finger at him. "I know how you feel about visiting other kingdoms and learning their laws."

Eloryn moved away from Seraphina's side and ran her eyes over the group she came with. She closed them for a moment and inhaled deeply; she could see Teranika with her curly strawberry hair giggling at Rafer's side, his two toned black and white hair was pulled back.  
Anicetus was standing next to Meilyr, her brother's platinum hair tied loosely at the nape of his neck and Meilyr's shaggy black mop just barely swept behind his ears. She saw Galvin's golden brown hair neatly kept trimmed and as always he was dressed in the cassock of his position and holding his staff.  
Eloryn had never seen Crevan before the change so the second Fizzling of their group was a vague elven figure that seemed out of focus to her mind's eye. The Flashwingling blew out a puff of air and opened her eyes. She saw the copies again that bore the voices she associated with other faces. It gave her a pang of annoyance again as she remembered she was a dragon. She looked down at her front paws, they should have been hands. How dirty they were with their constant contact with the ground. The princess's mood darkened as she sat on her haunches and scowled.

Galvin bobbed his head, there were multiple conversations around him and he didn't feel as if it would be proper to join any of them. Seraphina was still watching Kaelin and Uriel speak so he didn't want to bother her. The Sunburnling's gaze lingered on Eloryn, the Flashwingling had sat down and her face was twisted with a dark expression. More out of concern than curiosity Galvin padded softly up to her and sat next to her. He didn't say a word however; he waited for her to acknowledge him.  
"How do you do it?" Eloryn asked after a while.  
"Pardon?" Galvin blinked. He swiveled his beaked face around to look at the other dragon. She had her head down and seemed to be studying the thick crystals that ringed her foot and leg almost like socks.  
"How do you go through each day with our disabilities? I cannot hold items in my hands anymore; I have not had a cup of hot tea in over two years. I feel like an animal when I lower my head to lap up liquid or put my face into a plate of food to eat. My diet is different; the elven foods I used to love leave me feeling unsatisfied when I eat. I have never eaten so much meat before!" she exclaimed in distress. "And I had no one else to talk about it with until now. They will not understand," she tilted her head towards the rest of the group. "Well, maybe Meilyr and Crevan. I think I have seen them eat meat just as often." Eloryn shook her head, "I have not been back with everyone for long. We are all so different now."

Galvin clicked his beak in thought, only after Eloryn had brought up so many points did he realize that the beak clicking had replaced the way he would bite his lip or make any other type of expression with his mouth. "I look ahead, to a time when I will be me again. This is just a temporary condition. I can get through it," he nodded and shifted on his front legs. "I have to if I want to see all life has to offer."  
"We are eirian, Galvin," Eloryn sighed as she raised her head and glanced over her shoulder to make sure Kaelin hadn't moved away from Uriel. "We are supposed to live for a millennium. But what will this curse do to us if it is never broken? Will we live only as long as our new forms let us or will the aging process be completely stopped?"  
"Some species of dragons live even longer than eirian," Galvin said simply.  
"And gremlins?" she tilted her head towards Meilyr and Crevan. "Meilyr may be a pest at times but I do not wish a shorter life on him. Rafer and Teranika are not eirian, not all elves share our longevity. And Seraphina, she is undead. How long will the magic that sustains her keep her flesh intact? I have seen far more undead that are rotting corpses or bare bones than undead still clothed in uncorrupted flesh."  
"It depends on the strength of the magic for Seraphina," Galvin said. "As for Meilyr," he sighed. "No, he would live a much shorter life. Rafer and Teranika wi-"

"Enough," Eloryn grunted. She ruffled her wings and the crystal clinked musically as she rose to her feet. "I should not have started the conversation. Forgive me, we are trying to help the spirits of Uzern and all I can think is 'woe is me' and it sickens me."  
Galvin rose to his feet and laid a red and yellow feathered wing over Eloryn's back before he nuzzled the side of her neck. "I am not above self-pity," the Sunburnling surprised her with his candidness. "I too miss things as I used to know them. I miss attending morning prayer sessions and adding my voice to the blessings. I miss the way we would all link together to feel the mana circle. That was where all the priests would channel at once to form a spell whose only purpose was to connect us. To _feel_ the life of another and the wonder it held to become one with so many others for a few moments as we let the power of the light fill us with hope, wonder and awe normally only associated with children. I have felt so alone now that I have only the skill set Sunburn has available to him."  
Eloryn let Galvin nuzzle her for a while before she returned the action. "You are never alone," she murmured softly.

"Well the two of you are certainly adorable."  
Eloryn and Galvin jumped and separated so fast it was as if they had been caught doing something wrong. "Sera," Eloryn narrowed her eyes at her sister, "Do not _ever_ sneak up on me like that again!"  
"I just thought you might want to separate before Meilyr saw you and decided to tease you," the Hexling smiled as she drifted by.  
Eloryn's white scales turned the palest shade of red at her cheeks, "Oh light. Thank you," she breathed out. Galvin couldn't turn red as he already was red so the only thing to show his embarrassment was how he held his head low and refused to look at anyone.  
Seraphina placed a finger to her lips and winked. She thought it was utterly adorable, Eloryn had started out flirting with Galvin just to make the priest blush but she knew her sister better than that; it was no longer a game and neither of them were quite sure what to make of it. Their father would never allow it but Seraphina didn't have the heart to say anything.

"I am ready," Kaelin said at last. The other conversations died down as the Skylanders turned to face the king. "Please, come with me. Uriel has said that once inside we can see each other as we remember. I would not dare deny this to anyone." The king held his arm out in an inviting motion. Slowly the others complied and began to move towards the temple.  
"One day," Seraphina said softly as she came to a stop at Kaelin's side, "we will break this curse and illusions will not be needed to see one another as we remember."  
The king gently took her hand and drew it to his lips to kiss, "May we reach that day soon."

The screams were growing hoarser by the moment; the chocolate colored female gargoyle was bound in chains on her knees and held impotent by magic. Her smooth skin was riddled by slashes, some shallow and others deep enough to require stiches. It was determined she wasn't psionic early on when she tried to cast a spell. It didn't matter; the final two adults were psionic so Asmodeus had what he needed. He had separated the adult gargoyles, all three were heavily drugged but the mother fought like a tiger. She was left in the room with her daughter and the older gargoyle child. Her daughter wasn't drugged at all; the teenaged gargoyle was and seemed barely able to comprehend anything happening around him. Watching over them was Greta, the drow witch turned torturer.

"Ankti!" the mother wailed as she struggled to keep her head upright. Her eyes refused to focus on her little girl, she knew roughly were her daughter was cowering next to the older child but she couldn't seem to separate the two shapes. "Ankti, don't listen to her! She is a bad woman, you are a good girl!" The mother slumped forward again from her position on her knees as another wave of dizziness hit her; she tasted blood and smelled it so thick in the air it made her nauseous. There was a sharp rap when the tip of her horn clapped against the metal floor of the room they were in. She tried to jerk her head back up but the longer equine-styled snout was too heavy and simply rolled to the side so her horn was parallel with the floor. Her position was awkward; her hands were tied behind her back and connected to her tail as well as her heavily bound wings. She had leg irons on that would allow her hooved feet to take tiny steps; at least if they too hadn't been bolted to thick, durable rings in the floor. Smeared around her and splattered in droplets was a large amount of blood that bordered on being a deadly volume spilled.

"Momma!" the girl screamed and buried her face in the shoulder of the black lion-looking youth sitting next to her.  
"We have been through this before, child," Greta snarled as she walked up to the girl's mother. "You work with us, we stop harming your mother." Greta had been completely healed up, the limp and torn arm she possessed earlier looked as if it had never been touched. She was dressed in a grey gown with black accents around the hems and tall slits up the side rather than her Hexling outfit from earlier. In her hands she held a short, wickedly curved blade. It had three jagged teeth near the hilt and was already stained red. All of the cuts the adult gargoyle bore had come from that knife. Greta smiled at the horse-faced gargoyle as she wrenched her up by an arm and dragged the blade across it as she rounded the gargoyle. The mother tried to hold in the screams for her daughter's sake. She whimpered and cringed, Ankti could still see the pain in her face and no matter how hard she tried the mother couldn't smooth her features.

"How much more do you think she can take, hmm?" Greta whispered to the gargoyle. As she spoke she channeled magic ever so slightly into the gargoyle to heal her deepest wounds. The blood was left in place to give the illusion to the gargoyle's daughter that she was still hurt. "How much more can you take?" Greta cooed as she moved to the gargoyle's other ear. "I know the pain has to be excruciating and you want the sweet release of unconsciousness or death. But," Greta grinned as she brought the knife under the equine's chin and wrenched her head back by pulling on an ear that looked more like an elf's than a horse's. Blood beaded lightly on the equine's neck when the blade came to rest on it and Ankti screamed again, the tears flowed freely down her slim face, "I won't let you go. Either you will tell your daughter to listen to me or you will _make_ her little mind recoil in on itself from the horrors she is watching. If you know what's best for your daughter you would tell her to listen to me."

"Ankti," the mother said hoarsely. "Ankti, listen to me." She inhaled deeply and tried to calm herself when Greta removed the blade and let her head go. "I need you to do something for me, do you remember the very first rule you were ever taught about psionic abilities?"  
The cream colored child sniffled and nodded her head. Her mother narrowed her eyes and looked at her long and hard. "I remember, Momma."  
"Break that rule." That rule was in place for psionic children mainly, whenever they got mad their favorite thing to say to others was 'you don't understand!' which was often followed by a deluge of information from the child about everything they had ever experienced. Without knowing what they were doing the child could accidently kill whoever they were attacking.  
The child look terrified at the thought, "But Momma," she began.  
"Do it Ankti! Protect yourself, protect Nahuel. You can do it this once if it will stop someone from doing something terrible."

Ankti squeezed her eyes shut; it was a lot to process for an eight year old. But the drow lady was hurting her mother, she had done something to Nahuel so his eyes didn't even seem to look at her when she called to him and shook him. All Nahuel did was grunt ever so softly and halfway roll his head to Ankti before he seemingly ran out of strength and sat like a half empty sack of potatoes. "Okay, Momma," Ankti said softly.  
"What was that?" Greta said with elation clear in her voice.  
"Okay _Momma_!" Ankti screamed at the drow.  
Greta screamed a moment later but hers was of pain. The knife clattered to the floor and Greta kicked it far into a corner as she stumbled around with her hands clasped against her head tightly. "Stop it, _stop it_!" the drow howled. There was so much _noise_ inside her head! It was nothing but stupid things, a child's thoughts and fears; hopes and dreams. It mixed with memories and emotions that ranged from pain to happiness and sensations such as being hungry or needing to use the latrine badly. "Stop it!" Greta shrieked as she turned to run from the group.

"You can do it, Ankti!" the adult gargoyle cried as she slumped to the ground. Oh it pained her so much to be egging her little baby on to hurt the drow. In the end she knew Ankti would destroy the witch's mind, she would be a husk that only remembered to breathe but not much else. Ankti would know what she had done and it would haunt her. It had to be done; it was the only way to get out.  
The drow witch was howling now as she beat her fists against the wall and ran around the outside of the room repeatedly.  
The commotion eventually drew attention as the lone door of the room opened quickly to admit a lone figure. "Greta!" the cyclops exclaimed as he stepped into the room. The sound of the door slamming behind him caused the drow to turn on him quickly and shrieked in rage as she ran at the one-eyed creature now dressed in plain clothing. As a Skylands cyclops his head was pretty much just an eye with a lower jaw sporting tusks, the roof of his mouth was the lower curve of his eye. The cyclops side-stepped the drow and looked on the room in confusion. He didn't even have time to register anything before he felt Greta pummel his back with balled fists.  
"Let me out, get me out of here!" the drow demanded.  
"Kaos's socks, what the devil is _wrong_ with you?" Bruin demanded as he took Greta by her delicate wrists. A thin rivulet of blood had begun to peek out from her right nostril and Bruin noticed her hands were bloody as was the side of her face around her ears. Be it from bleeding ears or her clawing at her skin he couldn't tell. It also smelled as if Greta had soiled herself. The drow twitched again and simply feel to the floor in a heap. "Greta?" Bruin asked. The witch was breathing but unresponsive to Bruin's attempt to get her back on her feet.

"Again, Ankti!" her mother urged her.  
"I can't!" the little girl sobbed. "I can't, I can't, I can't," she repeated her mantra over and over as she tucked her knees to her chest and rocked gently.  
Bruin looked in shock on the scene and bolted without a second thought, they were going to need Asmodeus himself for it to work.  
"Come here baby," the chocolate gargoyle said softly. "It's ok; I won't make you do it again."  
Ankti scrambled to her feet and ran to her mother. She threw her arms around her mother's neck and buried her face between her neck and shoulder. "Momma," the little girl whined.  
"I'm so sorry, baby," her mother cooed softly. It hurt her so much to have made her little girl do what she just had then be unable to wrap her arms around her for comfort. "You can clear Nahuel's mind of what they did to it, right?"  
"Uh-huh. It's easy." The little cream colored equine girl ran her hands over her teary eyes then over her nose.  
"Then go help him," the older gargoyle said as she shifted on her knees. "Get Nahuel back to normal and he can help us get out of here." The mother didn't dare tell her daughter how dizzy she still was, if Ankti spent time on her first then they might not get out in time.  
"I'm scared, Momma," Ankti said.  
"I know baby," her mother replied softly. "I know baby. I am too but we're gonna get through it."

Krystal felt strange in the palace, the servants were dressed better than she was. Maybe the dress wouldn't have been a bad idea after all. To make matters worse she was on her own, Camo had left her side to report to her extended stay to the rest of their party at the docks then was going to sit in at Spyro's meeting before trading information with him and the other Cores. The Portal Master sighed as she walked down a hall behind one of said servants. She had felt awkward ever since her arrival and the initial meeting with Prince Ceron and his mother still made her feel like she had been a stuttering fool.  
"Now we cannot make promises for when the king will return but we can make your stay as comfortable as possible," the servant was saying.  
"Mm-hm, thank you," Krystal said as she watched intricately woven tapestries on the walls pass her. She wished she was more than just a holographic image, she felt out of sorts without the senses of smell and touch to make the whole thing seem more real to her. As it was it almost felt like a virtual reality styled video game although the Portal Master was fairly sure they would have at least tried to simulate the effects things would have on the other senses.  
"Here, make yourself comfortable," the servant said as he opened a door and stood to the side.

The area beyond was very nice, a greenhouse of sorts with a running fountain in the center and a meandering walkway that seemed to wrap around the whole structure. Beautiful flowering shrubs and flower beds added a world of color and texture to the area. It was really the only thing that could entertain Krystal as she couldn't sit down to read anything without help in turning pages nor could she sit and sip on a drink. The poor servants didn't know how to respond to her in that case.  
"Thank you," the Portal Master said. Should she bow? The servants did that a lot. Should she offer her hand for a shake? Well she couldn't grasp the servants. Krystal settled for a smile and dipped her head in an embarrassed manner before she skirted through the door and bustled down the walkway. She gasped when she turned a corner and found Prior Elanniah in the garden herself. Was she in trouble?  
"There you are, dear. Please, have a seat," the prior said as she extended a hand for the Portal Master.

Krystal spotted the nearest bench and plopped down into it quickly. She had barely spoken to the former queen upon her arrival. She was more involved with Prince Ceron who had taken his leave to send messages to other kingdoms via the Archmage's communication network. "Prior Elanniah," Krystal hopped back to her feet for a hasty bow before she sat back down again. Her hands went right under her seat to keep her from playing with her hands nervously.  
"You are not in trouble," Elanniah smiled warmly. The pale skinned and dark haired eirian took the seat opposite of Krystal. "I am sorry for the inconvenience I have caused you with the punishment of your Skylanders. You can understand my reasoning though, correct?"  
The Portal Master took her hands out from under her and clasped them in her lap. "Yeah, it's like back home. Going into a store after hours just because it looked open and the door wasn't locked still counts as trespassing even if you weren't aware of it."  
Elanniah nodded slowly. "I will not hold them here if they are needed elsewhere for Skylander business." The prior paused for a moment and shook her head, "Rather my son _Kaelin_ will not hold them here if the Skylanders need them more. The matter is now in his hands so there is not much I can do about it."

"I-I know, I understand," Krystal nodded. She glanced up at the prior; Elanniah was watching her carefully with a soft expression. "I allowed them to set foot into the city. I didn't think of anything wrong with the request. It could have been avoided. I'm sorry."  
"I have said it many times; the act of trespassing did alert us to a problem we had no knowledge of otherwise. It was both a good thing and a bad thing." Elanniah tilted her head to the side. "You do not want to hear about this again and then repeat the conversation with my son. Ask anything you would like about the city and its people. I will do my best to tell you about it all."  
Krystal blinked in surprise, was the prior trying to get to know Krystal better or was she simply being a friendly hostess? "Well," Krystal began. It certainly would help her pass the time and maybe she could get a feel for the king. Maybe, just maybe it would help her reduce the sentence on her Skylanders.

* * *

Author's notes and frequently asked questions can be found in the "Odyssey" forums. The link is in my profile.

The demands of life have really been slowing me down in my writing. I'm barely meeting these self-imposed deadlines of mine. I feel almost like my writing itself is suffering and not up to the standards I hold myself to. I'm going to drop back to once a week updates in an effort to remedy this. Friday or Saturday will be the chosen day from now on. I won't have anything later this week so my next update will be around the thirteenth. Thanks for your understanding and patients.


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